Amazon Leads as Top Channel for Product Research, According to New Data from Rithum

A survey of US and EMEA consumers found that Amazon has become the top channel for research

Research Triangle Park, N.C. – Sept. 21, 2022 – Rithum , a leading provider of cloud-based e-commerce solutions, today released the results of its 2022 E-Commerce Consumer Survey, which gauged the shopping behaviors of over 5,000 respondents in U.S., Europe, and Australia. The global survey results offer brands and retailers actionable insights into the current perspectives of online shoppers.

Survey participants shared their preferences for online marketplaces and retailer sites they visit to research and purchase products while weighing factors such as product selection and delivery methods.  The survey results also revealed how inflation and rising costs are affecting consumer purchasing decisions and their priorities when conducting online research before or during an in-store shopping experience.

“To stay competitive and agile in this changing environment, brands and retailers must first understand how, where and why consumers are shopping,” said Mike Shapaker, chief marketing officer at Rithum. “These survey results provide valuable insights that will help empower sellers to gain strategies to help capture consumer attention as the holiday season approaches.”

Key findings that emerged from this year’s survey data include:

• Amazon has become the top channel for consumer research*
• Retail Media ads are influencing consumer purchase decisions
• Holiday 2022 will continue to involve heavy online research and purchasing activity
  • *this stat excludes Australia

Global trends indicate shopping journeys involve more activity across retail sites and marketplaces

• 82% of global consumers use multiple digital touchpoints during their buying journey
• 76% of consumers tend to use multiple marketplaces on a regular basis for browsing, shopping, or buying
  • 21% of consumers regularly use 3 marketplaces on a regular basis for browsing, shopping, or buying, and 16% use 4 or more
• 38% of consumers have purchased an item from a foreign retail site or marketplace in the past 12 months
  • These purchases are more frequent among younger consumers (52% of 18- to 25-year-olds) than older consumers (24% of consumers aged 65+) 
• 44% of consumers have used buy online, pick-up in-store (or curbside options) in the past 12 months

Marketplaces are the most common channels to discover new products

• 89% of consumers browse items on marketplaces or retail sites without the direct intention to purchase something
• 42% of consumers “discovered” products they’ve purchased in the past 12 months by browsing marketplaces

Retail media advertising is becoming essential to increase product awareness

• 42% of consumers have clicked on a sponsored or promoted ad that they saw on a marketplace or retail site in the past 12 months
  • This activity is higher among younger shoppers (59% of consumers aged 18-25 and 55% of consumers aged 26-35)
• 44% of consumers have purchased an item on Amazon after seeing an ad for that product on Amazon

Amazon has become the top channel for research in US, EMEA

• In the past 12 months, consumers have researched products on these sites*
  • Facebook: 27%
  • Instagram: 24%
  • Google: 82%
  • Amazon: 89%
  • eBay: 52%
    • *these global stats exclude Australia

Pricing is a major factor for consumers before making a purchase:

• 83% of consumers usually compare prices before making a purchase
• 99% of consumers consider price a somewhat or very important factor in product selection
• 61% of consumers indicated their reason for researching products online before or during shopping in-store “often” involves checking prices

Holiday 2022 will continue to involve heavy online research and purchasing activity:

• 84% of consumers plan to spend the same amount of time or more shopping for holiday gifts online compared to last year
• 19% of 18- to 25-year-old consumers plan to conduct holiday shopping research on social media sites 

Click here to read the full survey results, including holiday and category-specific results.

Survey Methodology

Rithum commissioned leading research firm Dynata to survey 5,000 consumers in the U.S., U.K., France, Germany and Australia about their online shopping and research habits in 2022. Respondents, who ranged in ages from 18 to 65, were screened and sampled in partnership with Dynata.

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