Consumers shun search engines for retail sites during product discovery

Search engines are increasingly being knocked back in favor of retail sites when it comes to researching purchases online, according to HookLogic's recent report.

by Helen Leggatt

According to HookLogic's report, 'Browsing and Buying Behavior by Category: 2016', more than two-thirds of online shoppers (67%) now begin their search on a retail site.

Two-thirds (66%) are browsing retail sites with a specific product in mind and 41% browse different products on the same website to aid comparison. However, some shoppers also use shopping carts as comparison tools.

The reason most online shoppers browse multiple retail sites is price, found study of 600 shoppers, while 34% are simply searching for better product selections. Twenty percent browse multiple sites to compare shipping options, or seek out better production information.

The number of retail sites a shopper browses depends on the product category, found HookLogic. Shoppers browse more websites when looking for products within the Home and Furniture and Electronics categories, probably due to their higher price points. However, Healthy/Beauty and Apparel/Accessory searchers tend to have more brand intent and are more site loyal and visit less websites.

The time it takes from product discovery to conversion depends greatly on the type of decision making processes involved. While it takes about 1 to 2 hours before purchase for a spontaneous purchase decision, a considered purchase decision takes about 1 to 3 days.