Study: Vacationers purchase based on location, not brand

DENVER — While on summer vacation, nearby location trumps brands for many types of consumer purchases, and mobile devices will be the dominant form of search.

A new study conducted by location marketing automation provider Placeable shows that proximity is apparently so important that only 1% of vacationers consider reviews when looking to replace a forgotten item.

In addition, 65% of the travelers surveyed report that they seek restaurants and retail locations within five miles of their current location while on vacation. Seventy-six percent reported that they search for local retailers, and 89% look for local restaurants while they are away from home.

Most consumers use mobile devices to find products, services and places while they are away. Placeable reports that more than 85% of consumers search for restaurants and retailers on their mobile device while they are on vacation, and 54% of travelers postpone researching restaurants until they are already on vacation.

“Enterprise brands must optimize themselves locally to capture vacationers searching for non-brand products, services and places,” said Ari Kaufman, CEO of Placeable. “Travelers are increasingly dependent on their mobile devices while on vacation. Based on vacationer preference towards proximity rather than brand, accurate location data and optimized web sites are paramount. Enterprise advertisers must leverage web and mobile locators with local landing pages to capture vacationers that are searching for the closest business.”