According to consumer electronics magazine, Twice, the web is the main source for consumer research. With 25% of consumers using it, beating out word-of-mouth by a mere 2%. The reasoning is interesting.
"Consumers named a number of factors to back up their pre-purchase research process, including their belief that the Web is convenient, available 24/7, includes a broad spectrum of opinions, doesn’t “use pressure tactics,” is unbiased and is free"
"Unbiased"? You have to be kidding me! Many websites, particularly those of some of the bigger IT and consumer magazines, are outrageously biased or downright inaccurate.
It would be interesting to drill down deeper into this. I use web reviews, but I pay more attention to the reader's comments as I do the review. I find if there's a trend in the comments then that trend is worth investigating further.
The weighting consumers give their sources would be worth investigating too. While I'm sure a customer might spend 12 hours researching a purchase on the web, a twenty minute chat with a knowledgeable neighbour or relative will trump the web every time.
I wouldn't write off the "high pressure" salesman at the local computer superstore either. That 19% is low. I despair for the number of times I've told someone to buy a Linksys router or Toshiba desktop only to find the local Dick Smith or Harvey Norman store has talked them into buying a Dlink router or Packard-Bell desktop.
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