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Internet Influences Purchase Decisions
Category: Brands Consumption E-commerce Entertainment Media Consumption | Tags: advertising, E-commerce, Internet, shopping, Social Networks
According to a Sophia Mind survey, 67% of female users search for product- or service-related information online.
From October 2009 to January 2010, Sophia Mind – the Bolsa de Mulher group market research and intelligence company – analyzed the profile of 6,000 Brazilian women from five different regions of the country to identify how the Internet influences women’s purchase decisions.
Over recent years, the number of women with Internet access has increased, primarily among Classes C and D. These women already spend more time online (39 hours per week) than they do watching television (21 hours per week). The Internet plays a crucial role in women’s interaction with their friends and family members, in the search for information and news, and when reading interesting content, etc.
The growing proximity between women and the Internet directly influences the way that they decide their purchases.
1. Information Source:
Survey revealed that 67% of female users search for product- or service-related information online before purchasing or contracting them.
In certain markets, the relationship between the consumer and the product is more intense online. In the case of beauty products, for example, 53% of women search for information on magazine or specialist websites before making their purchases. The search for information on manufacturer websites occurs in 42% of the studied cases. In the post-sales segment, the Internet also plays an important role – 62% of women search online for tips on how to use the products.
Concerned with their income and family budget, price hunters are increasingly important in the purchases made online or in physical stores – 70% of women who answered the survey state that they search for the best prices online. “In the household appliance sector, for example, when a woman goes to the store, she already has all the information she needs about the desired product: differences between the brands, functionalities, technical specifications and, most importantly, how much she should pay for the product,” said Andiara Petterle, CEO of the Bolsa de Mulher Group.
2. Facilitating daily activities:
The Internet plays a significant role in women’s attempts to free up more time for themselves and to dedicate primarily to their family.
Online banking and home broker services are examples of how the Internet can change the way that women consume financial services. In general, they look for practicality and convenience when choosing where to invest (26% of all women interviewed). Instead of going to the bank or consulting paper bank statements, 46% of female investors follow their investments (generally a savings account) online. The financial market also benefits from online advertising. For 75% of female investors (considering any type of investment or savings account), the Internet is one of the ways of staying updated about news from the sector and the top investment options.
3. Social Networks:
The survey showed that 60% of women comment on their buying experiences on social networks, whether the same are positive or negative.
With so much information available for making decisions, the reference of a friend or family member (person of trust) weighs heavily. Over half of those interviewed already purchased some product based on recommendations they received in social networks, given that 21% trust in the comments of people they know and 33% buy regardless of the person who recommends the product.
4. Advertising:
The influence of online advertising is the same as television advertising for women who use the Internet.
The survey indicates that 97% of female users do not mind banners or e-mail marketing, granted that the product is one that interests them, advertises some promotion or discount coupon or is very creative.
5. E-commerce:
The study also revealed that e-commerce is an increasingly common practice among female users. Among those women interviewed, over half made purchases online during the month preceding the survey. The most commonly purchased products are: books and magazines (20%), electronic devices and IT (18%) and CDs and DVDs (11%).
