E-commerce has grown in leaps and bounds in the last few years, earning its own unofficial shopping holiday Cyber Monday. However, new research from The NPD Group found that when it comes to consumer electronics people would rather make the drive to a brick-and-mortar store than buy online.
Hesitation to buy various consumer electronics online stands in stark contrast to the fact consumers often use the Internet to research intended purchases, said Stephen Baker, vice president of industry analysis at NPD.
The group's research revealed that 56 percent of people read up on new TVs at retail websites, but only 19 percent follow through with an online purchase - the lowest number for all included CE. Online smartphone shoppers weren't too far off though, with 23 percent balking at the concept of purchasing a new phone online. Meanwhile, 52 percent of those buyers had looked up deals and other information on the web.
"Part of consumers' unwillingness to purchase certain electronics online might be due to a lack of awareness, or as a result of the slow pace taken by many traditional CE companies establishing a direct-to-consumer buying presence on the Web, or it could be something inherent in the products themselves, such as price or complexity," surmised Baker. "Whatever the cause, the result is a badly skewed online sales mix that relies heavily on a narrow range of products, and one that doesn't adequately address some of the more exciting growth opportunities."
Online retailers' lack of a proper storefront hinders some of the appeal of online shopping, he added. Consumers love to see the gadgets they plan to buy, and hold them.
Regardless, consumers still do purchase devices and software online. The NPD tallied the results of its "E-commerce and Consumer Electronics: Online Shopping & Purchasing" report and found general computer software led the pack with 34 percent of respondents admitting they would be OK buying it online.
Research conducted by comScore last month reached similar conclusions, citing computer hardware and software as the best-selling products online.
Are you more likely to research online and buy in-store, or are a full-blown cyber shopper? Let us know in the comment section.
