A high proportion of American consumers research products online before buying them in a physical store, according to research from Ecommerce Foundation. The report looks at the shopping behaviours of Americans during 2017. It found that 88% of respondents regularly went online to research products, before going on to make an in-store purchase. 72% reported that they regularly researched and bought products online. The type of device used varied depending on the goal. Computers were more commonly used for random browsing, whereas smartphone use increased when the buyer already knew exactly what they wanted. However, when it came to online purchases, the abandonment rate was higher on mobile devices, with tiny buttons causing frustration being cited as the main reason for this.
