Using the Small Screen to Find Bigger Ones

JULY 11, 2006
Televisions top Americans‘ shopping lists for consumer electronics. But nine in 10 purchasers research online before they visit a store.
By Lisa E. Phillips - Senior Analyst
Americans love their electronics. More than 50% of respondents to a poll conducted by Roper for Pioneer Electronics say they plan to upgrade their home and mobile gadgets this summer.
Before they hit the store, though, 90.2% will research products on the Internet, according to another survey, this from online magazineHome Electronics Journal andBIGresearch, a Worthington, Ohio-based research company.
Televisions were the most-wanted product this summer, cited by 15.4% of the 2,963 respondents in the HEJ/BIGresearch poll. Digital cameras (13.2%), cell phones (12.0%) and laptops (11.4%) were popular items, as well.
Most people knew where they would go to research or shop for their intended purchases, too. More than half (51.6%) of consumers planned to visit the product Web site, compared to slightly fewer conducting research in the store (50.8%). Among the affluent set, the most popular research resources were product Web sites (69.7%) and search engines (62.0%).

Despite their online fact-finding efforts, most respondents will make their purchases at retail, HEJ/BIGresearch found. But even if they purchase a product from an online retailer, most will want to pick up the item at a local store, according to a new report fromJupiterResearch, as reported byInternet Retailer. Although only 11% of online retailers offer in-store pickup, 49% of online buyers have used this service.
Men make up about half (52%) of in-store pickup users, perhaps because they are more likely to buy consumer electronics online, and consumer electronics retailers are the likely to offer the service, Jupiter said.
Price is still a major factor in the final purchase decision. But once they get in the store, consumers of all ages and both genders are most influenced by the product‘s brand. However, they can also be swayed by a special offer or coupons, according to a survey of 3,000 US adults byVertis, conducted last August and September. Sales staff could influence the purchase decision, while availability was less important.

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