Overview: Ratings, Reviews and the Customer Decision Process

Amazon v. BestBuy v. CircuitCity v. Walmart

As consumers research and purchase more complex items online, such as electronics, travel, and automobiles, online retailers want to identify what factors drive purchase decisions and what role online features and functionality, such as ratings and reviews, play in the customer decision process.

The eVOC / RelevantView Competitive Retail Report, Ratings, Reviews and the Customer Decision Process, addresses this need and answers the following questions:

Are users simply shopping for the best price or does the user experience drive purchases?
How can online retailers empower users to quickly and intelligently narrow the pool of products online to best inform a purchase decision?
Whether searching or browsing online, what tools and features are most likely to convert a shopper into a buyer?
What role do ratings and reviews play in the decision process?

Highlights

Over 85% of consumers research and/or purchase big ticket items online including travel, electronics and automobiles
Users are significantly more likely to prefer Amazon and CircuitCity for purchasing electronics than BestBuy and Walmart
Amazon is familiar and is considered the online leader; CircuitCity is the easiest to use
63% of consumers indicate they are more likely to purchase from a site if it has ratings and reviews. Amazon and CircuitCity provide ratings and reviews, BestBuy and Walmart do not

Table of Contents

1. Report Highlights
2. Background
3. Objectives
4. Detailed Findings
5. Behavioral Analysis
6. Consumer Attitudes
7. Overall Preference
8. Task Performance
9. Ratings & Reviews
10. Brand Affinity
11. Best Practices
12. Methodology
13. Acknowledgements
14. Contact Information
15. Appendix I - Participant Profile
16. Appendix II - Study Questionnaire

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