Dick's Sporting Goods' recent move to take more control of its Internet sales and The Finish Line's recent decision to structure its Web business as a separate unit are just two recent examples of how retailers see the Internet selling opportunity as a more mature business proposition. Based on the survey feedback compiled in the most recent Where America Shops report, retailers should pay very clear attention to how consumers are using their Web sites for research and purchasing.
The survey, which was conducted via the Internet in late June as part of the broader Where America Shops report, sampled a cross-section of the American population ages 13 and older. A top-line review of the study will be made available in the SGB magazine Fall issue, due out next week. The full study will be available on September 28.
In a reflection of a weaker economy, 38% of the respondents that had purchased sporting goods (including footwear and apparel) online in the last year, said they had purchased less than the previous year. The report found that 54% purchased 'about the same' and 9% purchased more online.
Of the respondents that mentioned purchasing less online this year compared to last year, 42% indicated the Have Less Money/Economy reason as the driving factor limiting their purchasing, 17% said the decline was due to the inability to Try On or Demo Products and 12% said the decreased online activity was due to Shipping Costs. Of the respondents that said their online purchasing has increased this year compared to last year, 36% said that Cost/Better Price was the reason for the increased purchasing, while 20% indicated Convenience as the primary factor and 17% said the Internet shopping experience provided Greater Selection and Variety of Products.
Whether they are purchasing online as much or not, consumers are certainly researching products on retailers' Web sites. Of those that had researched products online, 62% ended up purchasing the product in-store. On the other hand, 34% of respondents shopped for a product in a store and then purchased it online. Of those shoppers, 58% said the reason they opted for the online purchase was due to Price, while 27% cited Convenience and 13% said Selection.
The overall number of people making purchases online has clearly increased, with 54% of adult respondents reporting they have made a purchase at one of the measured Internet retailers in the past year. Last year, 45% of respondents mentioned purchasing online.
There is no question that younger consumers are more apt to make purchases online, but older age groups have made the adjustment to online purchasing. Slightly more than 50% of the respondents ages 55 and older have made a purchase at one of the measured online retailers in the past year. That numbers is gaining on the 18 and 34 group, with 60% indicating that they have made an online purchase from at least one of the retailers measured in the past year.
The SportsOneSource 2009 Where America Shops report will be packaged in various formats to customize or optimize the benefits to the user. The full report is over 250 pages, but can be broken down into specific retailer data, such as how a consumer that shops at one retailer rank that retailer against its competition in a number of categories. The report will also be broken into trade channels. The report is free to SportScanINFO retail reporting partners.
For more information on the study, including the customization of the data for a specific project or report, please contact SOS Research at 704.987.3450 or e-mail to: Research@SportsOneSource.com.
