ATG, provider of commerce solutions, has announced the results of a consumer survey that was deployed to analyze how consumers use various channels as they research product and service options, and make purchases. The cross-channel shopping survey also asked consumers about their researching and purchasing experiences when using different channels.

The survey found that more than three-quarters of consumers use two or more channels and nearly one-third use three or more channels to browse, research and purchase products. The findings also identified an opportunity for merchants to increase online sales and improve contact center efficiency by offering more information on the Web. The survey results highlight an evolving role for the emerging mobile channel and more traditional catalog channels, and point to opportunities for e-mail marketing and the incorporation of social media into consumers' online commerce activities.

"Merchants have heard the call for a stronger cross-channel strategy for many years, but what has been lacking is a deeper explanation about why this is so important," said Nina McIntyre, ATG's senior vice president of marketing and chief marketing officer. "We are seeing a multichannel revolution now, with a vast majority of consumers using multiple channels and now almost one-third actually relying on three or more channels to complete transactions. Retailers must direct their energy toward fulfilling the unique role and sales potential of each channel. This research illuminates the expectations consumers have for the Web, call centers, the store, catalogs, and e-mail."

The highlights of consumers' cross channel experiences include:

• 78 percent said they use two or more channels to browse, research and make purchases; 30 percent said they use three channels or more
• 43 percent said they start their research online or through a mobile device, but then need to call a customer service or call center representative to complete the transaction because the necessary product or service information cannot be found online
• 39 percent said they browse via the online or mobile channel and then make purchases in the store because they prefer to touch and feel the product; 36 percent said do this to compare several brands of the same product
• 78 percent of all consumers say they use catalogs to browse and research products or services at least four times a year

In addition to looking at consumers' use of computers and customer service representatives as a means to gain more information about or to complete the purchase of a product or service, the survey also uncovered interesting data about mobile commerce, with an emphasis on the 18-34 age bracket. Overall results found that:

• 27 percent of all consumers 18 and older use their mobile devices to browse or research products and services at least four times a year, and that number jumps to 41 percent for the 18-34 year-old age group
• When it comes to making purchases, 13 percent of all consumers 18 and older are doing this on their mobile devices at least four times a year; 23 percent of the 18-34 age group are doing this at least four times a year and 8 percent are doing it weekly

ATG's analysis of the survey showed that catalogs still play a significant role in the cross- channel browsing and researching experience for three-quarters of consumers. However, it discovered that merchants must effectively link the catalog experience with other channels because more than 40 percent of consumers who look at catalogs never purchase products or services through catalogs.

The survey results also uncovered a need for more awareness around the incorporation of commerce activities in social networking sites like Facebook, MySpace and Twitter.

This online study polled 1,054 respondents and was deployed by MarketTools, an independent online market research firm, during the fourth quarter of 2009.

Photo by lifeinflux.