Att söka på nätet används av nästan alla nätanvändare i sin köpprocess, oberoende av om man tänkt handla på nätet eller i en fysisk butik.Hela 93 procent av de konsumenter som svarat på en undersökning genomförd av Compete uppger att de använder nätsök. Oavsett var det tänkt handla.

Läs mer om undersökningen här

"En kombination av upplevelser i både
 fysisk butik och på nätet som passar
 mitt shoppingbehov"                     84%
"Att en nätbutik som inte har en vara i
 lager löser problemet via samarbeten
 och ändå levererar"                    72% 
"Jag föredrar att handla online, men
 vill kunna returnera i fysisk butik"  63% 
"Vill genomföra research/köp online,
 sedan hämta i fysisk butik"            43% 
"Använder butikssök på nätet och via
 mobil för produkter/nyheter"          41% 

Framtidens kunder köper allt mer genom allt fler säljkanaler. Framtidens kund är multichannel, ibland butik, ibland telefon och ibland på nätet. Detaljister som inte interagerar med sina kunder på flera olika sätt kommer tappa marknadsandelar gentemot de som gör det.

En undersökning i USA under förra året bekräftar med all önsvärd tydlighet detta.

Multi-Channel Customers Spend More, Less Loyal
Opinion Research Corporation Study Suggests

PRINCETON, NJ – June 2, 2008 – While multi-channel consumers spend nearly twice as much as their single
channel counterparts on average, they are also more likely to purchase from multiple providers, according to a new
study from Opinion Research Corporation, an infoUSA company (NASDAQ:IUSA). Consumers who use more
than a single channel to interact with an organization – for example, shopping online as well as in a company’s
store – also tend to spend more than those who rely on only one channel.

“Multi-channel retailing is growing at a rate of approximately 30% a year in transaction value,” said Jill Glathar,
Ph.D., Vice President and Director of the Market Planning and Development Practice at Opinion Research
Corporation US. “Multi-channel customers are often the most astute about pricing, and as such, may not be the
most loyal. Successfully implementing a multi-channel strategy to retain them requires an understanding of the
behavior and attitude of this savvier type of customer.” This means that companies may now have to do more to
keep such consumers, which can add additional costs in marketing and/or customer service.

The research also indicated that internet shopping will continue to grow, with 65% of respondents expecting to
make a web-based purchase in the future, vs. 42% who use this channel now. This suggests that the internet will
continue its transition from a research or browsing tool to more of an actual selling channel. Somewhat
surprisingly, telephone shopping will also continue to rise, as 39% of respondents plan to use the telephone to make
purchases in the future, compared to only 21% who currently do.

Additionally, the survey found that consumer’s multi-channel usage varies by industry. For example, big box
retailers such as Borders and Home Depot (17%); mass merchants such as Walmart and Target (16%); department
stores (14%) and restaurants (11%) have had the most success at implementing multi-channel strategies.

“The ability to successfully integrate direct and indirect channels in to a customer-centric multi-channel sales and
service environment will really define the market leaders of tomorrow.” Dr. Glathar said.