There is another survey, this one by performance marketing platform Kenshoo, that highlights Amazon’s outsized role in shopping and product discovery.
The survey, which was commissioned by Amazon, had 3,100 consumers in the US, UK, Germany and France take part. Once complete, the survey found that, like others before it, Amazon is either the starting point for product research, or it plays a prominent roll in the customer purchase process.
The survey says that more people across these markets actually use Google in shopping and product discovery, although Amazon is consulted by 56 percent as their starting point.
For the most part, the numbers seem consistent across markets. But Facebook played a larger role than in other countries in the US, with 36 percent saying that they use it before making a purchase.Others that were consulted by shoppers, but in smaller numbers, included Bing, Pinterest, Instagram, blogs and Twitter.
According to the survey, 26 percent of people check Amazon in retail stores. This “showrooming” behavior isn’t a new finding, but its a significant figure. Another striking thing above all else is the following, however:
- 22 percent “won’t look anywhere else if they see a product that looks suitable on Amazon.”
- 51 percent say that “even if they find something that seems right on another site, they will usually look on Amazon to find alternative ideas, compare prices or gather more information before making a purchase.”
These numbers show consumer loyalty and the massive pull of Amazon during the purchase process. And while the data show there are several different consumer touch points and shopping tools, for a growing number of people, Amazon has become both the Alpha and Omega of product search.