• by Jack Loechner , Staff Writer, November 1, 2010

According to a new study of 2,000 women, Harbinger, with Ipsos, found that traditional web sites (70%) have now surpassed traditional forms of word-of-mouth (58%) as their preferred method for getting the word about products and services. When it comes to sharing information or opinions, women are still nearly three times more likely to do so with family and friends than to go online.

Exploring differences in word-of-mouth practices across 14 product categories and by six lifestages that describe how like-minded women approach products and services, the report notes key findings for how women get and spread the word. 28% of women decide what products or services to buy without looking for some kind of help.

While most women spend time researching before buying, their approach changes depending on the product category involved and their lifestage. For example, the most trusted sources for information/opinions are:

• 71% of women rely on friends and family when exploring Restaurants, but only 41% rely on them when deciding about Clothing or Fashion
• 51% of 'Singletons', but only...
• 34% of 'Career Graduates' rely on family and friends when making choices about Home Furnishings.

New Moms' are the most likely to go online first (non-traditional word-of-mouth) for product information before turning to family and friends to finalize their choice. Members of the 'Back to Me' lifestage are the most likely to look to family and friends first for information, before going online to finalize their choice.

Deborah Adams, Senior Vice-President, Harbinger, concludes that "Marketers (should) be aware of how product category and lifestage impact the decision-making process so they can provide women with relevant, useful information where they prefer to find it... "

The study found that, when it comes to sharing information or opinions about products and services, 92% of women prefer face-to-face communications with family and friends over online methods. In fact women are more likely to share opinions:

•  Face-to-face with strangers or casual acquaintances (36%)
• Through a web site (32%)
• Facebook/MySpace/LinkedIn (27%)
• Blogs (11%)
• Twitter (7%)

Overall, women are more active discussing products that involve larger investments or personal experiences and less active discussing those involving strong personal tastes or lifestyle preferences.

Women are most likely to share information about Restaurants, Automobiles and Entertainment. Women are least likely to share information about Fashion Jewelry and Accessories and Baby Care Products.

"A message seems most spreadable when it's tied to a product or service that's less personal in nature and allows for a deeper discussion of product features or benefits... the study findings clearly show that the dynamics of word-of-mouth among women involve a complex inter­section of factors, including lifestage and product category... "

For example, each of the categories is broken down with additional detail like this:

Top Five Sources Women Rely on For Info on Food and Beverages

• Friends and family
• Advertising in newspapers, radio and TV
• Casual acquaintances
• Product reviews on non-company websites
• Stories in newspapers, radio and TV

Source: Harbinger Women  &  Word of Mouth Study, October 2010

The Harbinger Women and Word-of-Mouth study surveyed 2,134 women in Canada and the United States, through the Ipsos online panel. Results are accurate to within +/ - 2.12 percentage points, 95 times out of 100.

For additional details about the study, please visit Harbinger here.