While some consumers in the US are shopping online to avoid driving, even those visiting stores in person are hitting the Web first.
Eight out of 10 respondents who had recently made consumer
electronics purchases in a brick-and-mortar store said they had visited
the store's Website first, according to a May 2008 Nielson Online survey. More than one-half said they purchased from the retailer on whose Website they had spent the most time.
"Consumer electronics is an ideal product category to research
online, since product features and prices can be easily compared," said
Jeffrey Grau, senior analyst at eMarketer.
If they had to choose just one method of researching their
purchases, 58% of respondents said they would choose the Internet—far
more than would choose their own friends and family.
"Retailers that are able
to facilitate consumers' multichannel shopping behaviors will enjoy growth in market share across
the enterprise," said Ken Cassar, vice president at Nielsen Online, in a statement.
The two leading consumer electronics Web retailers—Best Buy and
Circuit City—offer an option to buy online and pick up in-store, which
satisfies consumers' craving for immediate gratification and avoidance
of shipping fees.
