• by Wendy Davis  @wendyndavis, March 3, 2006

When U.S. consumers seek shopping information, they tend to start their research at one of the major Internet companies, rather than a shopping site, news site, or other source, TV or other media, according to a recent report by Outsell.

Almost six in 10--58 percent--of around 1,800 people surveyed by Outsell said that they rely on Google, Yahoo, MSN, or AOL as either a primary or secondary source of information. By comparison, 44 percent said they turn to other online shopping sites; 29 percent rely on magazines; 23 percent depend on word-of-mouth; 22 percent turn to print newspapers; 14 percent rely on TV; 8 percent go to online newspapers; and 4 percent turn to radio.

Why do online newspapers fare worse than print papers? Outsell proposes that Web users don't expect that news sites will have enough information. "Consumers perceive that these sites don't offer them enough useful buying information--and that's perilous in a paid search world in which proximity to buying information makes ad placement more valuable," warns the report.

Additionally, just as consumers don't seek shopping information on online news sites, they're not yet purchasing online classifieds. Outsell found that just 4 percent of U.S. adults had bought online classified ads. By contrast, almost half--48 percent--had used eBay, Craigslist, or another online auction to buy or sell something. "Local publishers have had a tough time assembling the technology to match the easy usability that sites such as eBay and Craigslist have set as the Web standard," the report states.