Being able to research products online is important to retail shoppers. Ninety-one percent of online shoppers said it was "important" or "very important" for retailers to offer in- depth product information online according to WebCollage's 2007 "Survey of Online Consumer Product Research Habits."

Online shoppers said there were some disadvantages to researching at retailers Web sites. Forty-four percent said they did not feel Web sites offered complete product information and 33 percent were concerned that retailer product content was out-of-date.

Shoppers who are unable to find the information they are looking for on retailers Web site will visit a competitor's site. For more complete, up-to-date content, 37 percent said they would visit a competitor's site.

Eighty-two percent of the shoppers surveyed said they were more likely to return to retail Web sites that provided them with thorough product information to do research and make purchases in the future. Additionally, 71 percent said that they would be more likely to buy items at a physical store of the retailer whose Web site they had used to do product research.

"WebCollage helps retailers establish their websites as important product research destinations for their customers. Providing complete, up-to-date product information from manufacturers helps retailers attract and retain customers at every stage of their purchase cycle," said Jed Alpert, Vice President of Marketing for WebCollage.

"And what we've found is that when a retailer establishes themselves as a trusted source of product information, this inspires customers to visit that retailer's website in the future for research and purchases and even helps drive customers to the retailer's physical store."

Online Retail Online Shopping