Study: Site experience makes Amazon first with consumers in product search

A high-quality site experience makes Amazon the place where more than half (55%) of consumers go to first for products online. 

 

That’s according to the second annual “State of Amazon” study from personalization platform company BloomReach, which found that search engines and retailers lost almost equal ground with consumers, 28% and 16% respectively, while Amazon increased its share by 11% over last year. Fifty-three percent felt Amazon had the best site experience overall.

 

"Amazon continues to be the first destination when consumers want to find a product, driven largely by a perceived superior end-to-end experience," said Jason Seeba, BloomReach head of marketing.

 

Approximately nine in 10 consumers will check Amazon even if they find a product they want on another retailer's site. However, comparison-shopping also worked against Amazon, as 70% of consumers said they'll consult another retailer before purchasing on Amazon. 

 

“This study highlights that just because consumers start on Amazon, that doesn't mean they ultimately buy from Amazon,” Seeba said. “Instead, they're often comparing and researching products on search engines and other retailers."

 

The study highlighted some opportunities for retailers to gain back market share.  Approximately one in five consumers noted counterfeit products are their main concern with Amazon. And 41% said better personalization would make them more likely to buy from a retailer over Amazon, with one one in three citing Amazon's site personalization and product recommendations as superior.   

 

Amazon is well positioned for the holidays, according to the study, with  94% of respondents plan to shop the site this season. 

 

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