Online research influenced $25.1 billion worth of consumer electronics purchases, or 77% of the total $32.5 billion spent on electronics, according to a new study commissioned by Yahoo and the
Consumer Electronics Association. While most purchases--71%--were made in brick-and-mortar stores, the study found that about three in four buyers also researched the products on the Web. The study,
conducted by Hall and Partners, was based on online interviews in July of 2,478 Web users who said they intended to buy an electronic device in the next year, and 1,840 consumers who had bought one
within the last 12 months.