Today, the journey a shopper takes on their way to making an online purchase is far from linear. So many variables exist that it’s nearly impossible to pin down a specific route a user takes from click to conversion. Fortunately, folks in the E-commerce marketing space have mountains of data at their disposal that gives us a glimpse into what a “typical” online buyer’s journey might look like.

A Typical Online Buyer’s Journey from Click to Conversion

Meet Beth. She wants to buy some new running shoes, so she opens up her laptop and begins her online shopping journey. Let’s follow along…

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1. Beth starts with online research on Google, using terms like “women’s running shoes,” “best running shoes for women,” and “buy running shoes online.”

• 81% of shoppers conduct online research before buying, with 60% of consumers starting their research with a search engine.
• 50% of consumers spend 75% or more of their total shopping time conducting online research. This includes 15% of shoppers who spend 90% or more of their shopping time online doing research.

2. After gathering some initial info, Beth looks at consumer reviews, product comparisons, and testimonials to narrow down her choices.

• 88% of consumers say they trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations.
• 36% of consumers spend 30+ minutes comparison shopping before making a purchasing a commodity product; 65% spend 16+ minutes doing so.

3. Beth has chosen two options from competing companies for her next pair of running shoes. Her next order of business is to find coupons or deals for the shoes she’s considering.

• In 2014, 112.5 million U.S. adults had redeemed online coupons. This figure is projected to grow to 126.9 million users in 2016.
• About 93% of shoppers use a coupon or discount code throughout the year.

4. Beth has found a great deal on one of the final two pairs, and she’s just about ready to make her purchase! Before buying, however, Beth pays close attention to the following on the running shoe retailer’s website:

• Shipping & Return Policy – 73% of online shoppers noted unconditional free shipping as “critical” to a purchase.
• Trust & Security Indicators – Businesses with a trust seal or badge on their website made 86% of online shoppers feel more confident about giving their personal and credit information, and clicking on that last “buy” button.
• Payment Options – 40% of shoppers have more confidence in an online shop if it has more than one payment option.