Online shoppers seek advice over the internet

About 70% of people who buy over the internet base their purchase decisions on the opinion of other people. They choose products on the basis of opinions and assessments in forums and customer areas of online shops. 54% of online buyers make their buying decisions according to high sale ranks and positive user assessments. Only 27% prefer opinions from the real word and from people close to them in order to make a decision. Thus, the social surroundings of buyers influence their online buying decisions to a smaller extent than opinions from within the virtual world of the internet.

This was revealed by a study called “Käufertypologien im Internet – Umsatzstimulation durch erfüllte Kaufmotive” which was carried out jointly by the Hamburg based novomind software manufacturer, the Wirtschaftswoche and the Handelsblatt.

The study in question shows that people take other people’s opinions into account when shopping online. However, the self-perception of online buyers is different: 72% of surfers believe that on the internet they are able to compare many offers with each other and choose the best ones autonomously. The same applies to market places such as eBay or Amazon where 43% of customers have the impression to purchase more freely and that they are less influenced by the seller than in retail shops in the real world. Thus, as many as 16% of internet shoppers have the feeling to be put under pressure by shop assistants in shops in the real world. On the other hand, online recommendations, virtual consultants of online shops or opinions of other buyers can be used at purchasers´ will. In particular the anonymous and uncomplicated access to information and offers is something which pleases about 70% of online purchasers.

However, there is hardly any internet purchaser who enters virtual markets just in order to do relaxed online window shopping. Mere inspiration when looking at products is sought by just 15% of online shoppers. Almost 40% believe that they are able to find the right products quickly and safely on the internet. One in six people make spontaneous buying decisions even if such purchases already turned out to be bad buys sometimes in the past. GERMAN

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