The report, DoubleClick's third annual Touchpoints study, examined how consumers rely on different media channels when making purchase decisions. For the report, researchers surveyed 2,110 adult Internet users in the United States last December, questioning them on the media channels that influence their buying decisions in 10 categories: travel, automotive, telecommunications, banks and credit cards, mortgage and investment, movies, consumer electronics, home products, personal and home care, and prescription drugs.

The study found that online sites are among the top four influencers in most of the categories surveyed. "The Internet really holds its own fairly well compared to some traditional advertising media," said Rick Bruner, DoubleClick's research director. "When we ask people what most influenced their decision to purchase this product or service, Web sites outranked television ads in eight out of those 10 categories."

Company Web sites specifically provided a resource for consumers in the "further learning" phase of purchase, when a buyer has heard of a product but wants to learn more. "Although company Web sites are not often cited as sources of initial awareness," the study states, "the Web sites of manufacturers and service providers are a critical resource when it comes to consumers seeking to learn more about the products they have heard about."

The category that Web sites were the most dominant in was travel, where 46 percent of respondents were most influenced by travel Web sites, compared to roughly 10 percent most influenced by online marketing and 3 percent influenced by television ads.

Bruner said the results of this year's study are consistent with the previous two years' reports, and all three send the message that Internet ads and Web sites are an effective means of influencing consumers to buy products or services. "It's strong validation from the words of the consumers themselves," he said.

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