Bulk of shoppers influenced by comparison sites

According to new research from Coremetrics, more than 60 per cent of consumers are influenced by pricing information on comparison websites, reports Precision Marketing.

The study also found that 50 per cent of respondents base many of their purchasing decisions on internet reviews, while over 40 per cent buy brands they know and recognise.

Significantly, almost a fifth of business marketers choose not to advertise by engaging in email marketing, although more than 20 per cent choose to send details of special offers to shoppers through such methods as html email newsletters.

Coremetrics vice-president and general manager of EMEA Richard Sheppard, told the website: "Buying behaviour has drastically altered due to the recession, so now more than ever, it's crucial for retailers to understand their online visitors to help them maintain a competitive edge."
Mr Sheppard added that the majority of online retailers have no measurement for return-on-investment (ROI) and that it was important that this changed as more shoppers turn to the internet.

Bluhalo.com reports recent figures from Hitwise showing that over 20 per cent more web users visited online sections of high street shops in November, than internet-only stores.