According to a recent Nielsen “Global Trust in Advertising” report, “branded websites are the second-most-trusted advertising format, behind recommendations from friends and family.” That represents a huge marketing and e-commerce opportunity that isn’t being fully realized.
According to an April 2015 survey from BrandShop (n=1,055 US consumers), a company that provides e-commerce services and hosting for brands, most online transactions take place through third-party channels (e.g., Amazon). Yet most people would prefer to buy online directly from brands themselves.
The chart below shows where survey respondents are making their e-commerce purchases (not differentiated between desktop and mobile). The overwhelming majority are buying through Amazon. Less than half buy from online retailers (47 percent), and a smaller group (37 percent) buy directly from brands.
BrandShop uses the survey findings to argue that despite the above, the large majority of consumers would prefer to shop and buy directly from brands. More than 80 percent expect to be able to buy directly from brands’ sites, and almost 90 percent said they would do so if they could.
The gap between existing consumer shopping patterns and their desires is the opportunity gap identified in the report.
Unfortunately, the report contains relatively little discussion of the importance of mobile in addressing this opportunity. It’s a key area for brands to focus on. Given consumer preferences for direct brand shopping and the consumer trust that brands enjoy, it represents a huge loyalty and e-commerce opportunity.
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