by Andrew Redfern @ 7th February 2008 7:00 pm

An independent study has today revealed that US online retailers are better positioned to compete when they view the online world not as separate channels, but as an ecosystem that requires a diversity of marketing approaches and an embrace of new and ever-changing methods to engage increasingly sophisticated online shoppers.

Outlined in a custom research survey of 1,044 Internet users conducted by JupiterResearch in December 2007 and sponsored by LinkShare Corporation, the companies that are positioned for success in online retail are those that leverage the most effective platforms and channels on the Web, including affiliate networks, search engine marketing, lead generation and ad networks.

“As the online market matures, organic growth from new customers coming online will slow. Ecommerce marketers need to understand the implications,” said Steve Denton, president of LinkShare.

“Today’s consumers have become increasingly savvy in their approach to online shopping, discovering new sources of product, pricing and information.

Marketers must respond to this new world by deepening their customer engagements, broadening their online marketing portfolio, and creating a richer shopping experience.”

The survey results reaffirmed some observations, but offered some surprises as well. It showed the impact of social networking websites among younger online shoppers, and the continuing interplay between online research and offline purchases.

It underscored the importance of coupon and loyalty websites for some shoppers, but it also reinforced the staying influence of store websites and search engines.

David Schatsky, president of Jupiter Research, unveiled the survey results to over 400 ecommerce leaders assembled at the LinkShare Summit in San Francisco on January 31.

Overall, the LinkShare survey conducted by JupiterResearch revealed the following about online shoppers in the US:

** 95% of higher spenders - those spending an average of $2,203 online in the last 12 months - look to multiple sites when researching a product purchase; 20% don’t trust just a single site.

** 87% of all online buyers in the US visited multiple websites before making their most recent purchase online.

** Social and community sites impact the purchase decisions of 51% of online shoppers aged 18-24. This is far beyond any other age group, which averaged less than 26%.

** More than a third (36%) of online shoppers affected by social/community sites said they buy offline even though they use online social/community sites to make their decisions.

** 42% of online shoppers said consumer product reviews would make social/community sites more useful when researching and buying online; 24% of online shoppers said top 10 product lists would make social/community sites more useful when researching and buying online.

** 77% of online buyers who used store websites when researching their most recent online purchase found them useful.  75% of online buyers who used search engines when researching their most recent online purchase found them useful.  Yet online shoppers continue to seek out additional product insight, commentary, and promotions elsewhere.

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