Internet
Research Has Become An Important Step In Holiday Shopping
By
SuperPages.com
and Verizon
DALLAS, TX -- (INTERNET WIRE) --
11/20/2000 -- Although analysts are predicting a record year for
Internet shopping, a recent survey commissioned by
SuperPages.com by Verizon found that many consumers use the
Internet to window shop - to research and browse for gifts
before they buy from local merchants. In fact, 21 percent of
respondents characterize their shopping behavior as researching
online and buying locally.
Just five percent of respondents
chose researching and buying products online as the best
description of their shopping behavior. Not surprisingly, 65
percent are sticking with the old fashioned method as their
primary form of shopping - researching and buying at a local
retailer.
"This data illustrates that
a Web site is more than just e-commerce," said Patrick
Marshall, group vice president - marketing of Verizon
Information Services. "Obtaining information about local
merchants via the Internet is clearly something consumers want.
Although it is difficult to measure the sales that result from
Internet research, there is clearly a need for this marketing
tool, especially for small or local businesses."
When researching a product on
the Internet, 81 percent use a search engine, such as Lycos.
Other popular search tactics include:
"The
Internet has become an essential tool in the shopping process,
even if the consumer is making the final purchase offline,"
said Marshall. "Online window-shopping can help holiday
shoppers efficiently decide what to buy for people on their gift
list and find the best place to buy it."
Internet users report they would
use the Internet this holiday season to:
- Compare
prices 56 percent
- Compare
models or brands 46 percent
- Obtain
gift ideas 46 percent
- Find
a particular gift 44 percent
"More
shoppers flock to the Internet during the holidays as the malls
get crowded and as gifts become harder to find," said
Marshall. "With tools such as Consumer Guide and Gift
Finder on SuperPages.com, shoppers can quickly find the perfect
gift on the Web or close to home."
Online Shopping Patterns
Among Men and Women
The survey also revealed several differences in the shopping
styles of men and women. According to the survey, men are 60
percent more likely than women to window shop online, while
women are 25 percent more likely to research and buy at a local
retailer. Men are 13 percent more likely than women to use the
Internet to compare prices and 19 percent more likely to compare
different models or brands of products using the Internet. Women
are 13 percent more likely than men to use the Internet to find
a particular gift.
About the Survey
The shopping preferences survey of 1,085 consumers who use the
Internet was conducted October 19-23, 2000 by CARAVAN, Opinion
Research Corporation International on behalf of SuperPages.com
by Verizon. It has a margin of error of ± 3 percent.
Verizon Information Services
also produces and markets SuperPages.com, the Internet's leading
online directory and shopping resource. SuperPages.com
has received up to 4.2 million visits and 2.3 million unique
visitors per month, and is the exclusive provider of a
comprehensive Yellow Pages service to AOL, Lycos, HotBot,
Digital City and BigFoot.
Based in the Dallas area,
Verizon Information Services is a unit of Verizon Communications
Inc. (NYSE:VZ),
which was formed by the merger of Bell Atlantic and GTE. Verizon
is one of the world's leading providers of communications
services. For more information on Verizon, visit www.verizon.com.
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