Online consumers spending more on floor care

Floor care, water filtration devices and air purifiers generate higher average prices online than in brick-and-mortar stores, according to research from NPD Group.

The research company’s Consumer Tracking Service, looking back at the 12 months ended March 2013, found that consumers are spending significantly more for these home environment cleaning appliances purchased online.

In floor care, the average online selling price for the period was $140, compared with $97 in stores. (See chart.) Online dollar sales also gained a larger share of consumer spend — up 16% for floor care, and up 27% for water filtration devices.

“The success of the online channel is a result of broader product selection, a wider range of price points and the convenient platform to research and compare product features,” said Debra Mednick, executive director and home industry analyst. “Layering on the incentive of free shipping (often with a minimum shopping cart), increases the likelihood that consumers are willing to trade up, thus, spending more on their purchase.”