The Internet Continues to Empower Consumers
LEEDS, England/PRNewswire/ -- For many, the
recession was a time to re-evaluate spending habits and
change shopping behaviour. For example by shopping down or using voucher
code
sites such as VoucherSeeker
(http://www.voucherseeker.co.uk/vouchercodes).
These shopping habits have now become permanent post recession shopping
behaviours. Consumers not only search the internet to make a purchase,
but
also use the internet as a tool to make purchasing decisions.
"For consumers, the internet is a big source of information,"
states Duke
Tanson, VoucherSeeker Director. "Whether consumers are looking for
Vodafone
promotional codes (
http://www.voucherseeker.co.uk/voucher-codes/64728/vodafonepromotionalcodes),
Currys
discount codes (
http://www.voucherseeker.co.uk/voucher-codes/76737/currys-discount-codes.html
),
searching for reviews or comparing prices online, the internet is full
of
all the information they need."
Research by Likemind and Vision Critical found 90% of consumers
now
search for their purchases online, with 8% more people shopping online
than
last year. The research questioned 2,000 UK consumers on their spending
habits and found that 48% of people claimed they had had a better level
of
service online. Interestingly, those aged 55 and over most strongly
believed
this.
The age demographic of the over 50s is more web active and is
therefore a
new market to target online. Research by the Mature Marketing
Consultancy,
Millennium, found that a quarter of over 50s questioned bought their
groceries online, spending GBP150 a month. Furthermore, this age range
is
also more active on Facebook, Twitter and other social networking sites,
which were traditionally used widely by the younger generations.
Another key demographic which have turned to the internet is the
male
demographic. 12.9 million men are now shopping online compared with just
10.3
women. 839,000 extra men are shopping online since 2006, using discount
voucher and discount code sites in order to save money.
Not only is the internet used to save money, but it also provides
the
consumer with more purchasing information. Consumers are now able to
compare
prices online, get vouchers and promotional codes for money off and
dictate
delivery dates. As well as this, consumers now have the power to write
about
their experiences online for other consumers to see. In fact, according
to a
survey by Brand Reputation, 84% of consumers now check web reviews
online
before purchasing a product. The most view reviews were ones for
products
such as electricals and home furnishings. The Online Shopping Survey,
conducted by Lightspeed Research found that 76% of people questioned
already
search the internet for the best prices online.
Internet shopping now offers consumers a very flexible way to
shop. Many
retailers offer free delivery and also enable consumers to pick a
delivery
date and time to ensure that they get their package at a time which is
convenient to them. The ease of use of the internet was evident over the
Christmas period. Many retailers reported that they could not afford to
hire
extra staff which resulted in long shop queues and lack of stock. Due to
this
and the dread of hitting the Christmas high streets, in 2009 7 in 10
people
planned to buy Christmas presents online, which was 46% more than the
year
before, according to research by Deloitte. Not only this, but 75% of
retailers stated online sales for 2009 increased as the ease of use for
shopping online became evident.
In fact, the UK spends the most online, on average GBP1,103 each
online
last year, research by the Centre for Retail Research found.
The voucher codes market is set to grow, as 24% of consumers plan
to
increase their shopping on discount voucher sites this year, the Online
Shopping Survey, conducted by Lightspeed Research found. As well as
this, the
research found that 50% of consumers have still not realised the saving
potential of discount code sites such as VoucherSeeker, meaning there
are
plenty more consumers to learn of the savings using vouchers can make.
Consumers are increasingly using the internet as an affective
shopping
tool. Whether this is to search for voucher codes, discount vouchers or
discount codes from sites such as VoucherSeeker (
http://www.voucherseeker.co.uk/vouchercodes) for money off items whilst
shopping online, or simply to read reviews before making a purchasing
decision, consumers are becoming more empowered in how they choose to
shop.
About VoucherSeeker
http://www.voucherseeker.co.uk is a leading UK voucher codes
website. It
features all the latest vouchers, voucher codes and discount codes from a
wide range of shops and top brands. Users can use the site to find the
latest
discount vouchers and promotional codes to save money on many products
and
services. VoucherSeeker also provides its users with details of all the
latest sales and promotions.
VoucherSeeker(R) and ClickAngel(R) are registered trademarks of
ClickAngel Ltd. All other trademarks are the property of their
respective
owners.
For further information, please contact Deborah Read at
VoucherSeeker:
email: deborah.read@clickangel.co.uk, direct line: +44-113-380-0891.
Source: VoucherSeeker
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