Online Shoppers Search and Spend
By George Anderson
DoubleClick’s Q2 2004 E-Commerce Site Trend Report says shoppers on e-tail sites are using the search function more often but they’re also abandoning carts in high numbers.
According to the research based on 24 million shopping carts, 19 percent of visitors are using the search function on online shopping sites. This represents a 26 percent increase from the same period a year earlier.
The average value of orders placed by visitors who performed a search was up even higher with a 47 percent increase over the previous year.
Patti Freeman Evans, retail analyst at Jupiter Research, says the increase in the number of searches being performed and the size of market baskets point out the need for making the function “more user-friendly.”
Retailers, Ms. Freeman Evans told destinationCRM.com, need “to use search results as a proactive merchandising tool.” Keywords, for example, give retailers direct input from consumers that can be used to generate sales.
Moderator’s Comment: Where do you see the biggest opportunities
for online retailers to build sales?
Sears recently pointed to the number of searches for apparel
on its site as part of its reason for putting clothing back on Sears.com. Wal-Mart.com,
has added products only for sale on its site because it actively analyzes searches
performed. –
George Anderson – Moderator