A new study suggests that consumers are increasingly starting to search for items at Amazon rather than Google. This might not seem like a huge deal, but it is. If consumers bypass Google and just search via Amazon, more and more retailers will feel the pressure to set up shop at Amazon rather than relying on search traffic from Google and other search engines.
The Forrester Reseach survey notes that 30% of online buyers now start searching for products at Amazon, more than double the percentage who start at Google. Two years ago, the situation was reversed and 24% started searching via Google while 18% started at Amazon. The reversal shows that consumer search behaviour is changing rapidly, potentially putting Amazon in a stronger position than ever.
It stands to reason that not all of those shoppers will be making their purchases via Amazon. Some might be researching products, checking out reviews and prices, and generally nosing around the site to get an idea, before going to buy from a bricks and mortar store. But it seems Amazon is increasingly seen as the place for consumer information, and that’s a fact that is undoubtedly going to shape consumer interaction for businesses in the future.
Wow, that’s going to change the way we assess the success of our social media activities too. Google is far more useful for statistics and analysis Amazon who seems to hoard rather than share data.
Posted by PA Wilson | July 27, 2012, 6:25 pm