Consumers Tend to Purchase Where They Search with 51% of Consumers Starting Their Online Shopping Journey on Amazon

Amazon’s influence on consumer shopping behaviors continues to accelerate. Data from a new Future Shopper study released by Salmon, a Wunderman Commerce company, shows Amazon leads as consumers’ preferred starting point for shopping (51%), and also dominates where consumers complete the majority of their online purchases (55%).

Over 3,500 consumers who shop online across the US and UK were surveyed for this report.

This year’s research shows Amazon capturing a significant share of online spending – 35% in the UK and 52% in the US. While 72% of consumers are more likely to shop with retailers that are digitally innovative – up from 60% in 2017, many retailers are still failing to meet these expectations. 72% of consumers state that retailers should be more innovative in their use of digital technology to improve their overall shopping experience. Additionally, consumers named ‘price’ (64%) and ‘free delivery’ (54%) as key criteria influencing purchasing decisions.

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Hugh Fletcher, Global Head of Innovation and Consultancy at Salmon, said “While Amazon’s dominance of the online retail market is no secret, few could have predicted how it has become not only the starting point in the online shopping journey, but also the predominant channel for product purchase. It’s clear that Amazon has set the standard for consumer expectations with its focus on price, delivery and innovation.”

Voice Assistants like Amazon Echo and Google Home continue to grow with 40% of consumers currently using or having used this capability. Brands must be prepared to capitalize on this new shopping channel as 55% of consumers are open to purchasing through voice-activated devices. However, 89% said they’d like to see the product on a screen before a voice assistant orders it.

Other notable findings from the report include:

• Shoppers who don’t start their journey on Amazon or Google are more likely to shop on: eBay (11%), a retailer’s website (7%), the brand’s own website (6%) or social media sites (3%).
• Amazon’s delivery services – Prime and Prime Now – have also had an impact on delivery expectations, with 22% of consumers now expecting same-day delivery and 43% expecting delivery within 24 hours.
• The use of Programmatic Commerce which refers to the idea that IoT – connected devices can make purchasing decisions is only going to increase, with 57% of shoppers prepared to use this automated method, compared to 46% in 2017 and only 10% in 2016.

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