Study: Amazon influences how shoppers research merchandise online

Amazon is expanding into one of the go-to destinations for product discovery.



This was according to “Amazon: The Big E-Commerce Marketing Opportunity for Brands,” a report from Kenshoo. The study is based on 3,100 consumers in the United States, Germany, United Kingdom and France.



According to the study, Amazon is moving beyond its reputation as the biggest online marketplace in the United States, and playing a bigger role in people’s shopping journeys. For example, more consumers visit a broad list of online sources when researching information prior to a purchase. For 72% of shoppers, Amazon is a top resource for product discovery and research. This is second only to Google (85%).



For 56% of customers, Amazon is the very first site they visit when researching merchandise. Even if shoppers find a product elsewhere online, 51% usually check Amazon to find alternative ideas, compare prices, or gather more information before making a purchase, the study reported.



Amazon also augments research that shoppers conduct in physical stores. In fact, 26% of customers admit to checking Amazon for alternatives, background information, and prices when they find a potential purchase in a physical store.



According to the report, most consumers are attracted to Amazon as their go-to research resource based on the sheer breadth of products that the online retailer carries. Amazon’s customer recommendations also help customers make a purchase decision. Specifically, 23% will sneak a peek at Amazon recommendations under the “Customers who viewed this item also viewed” and “Customers who bought this brand also shopped for” categories while researching products.