Local and Shopping Search Grow

More than 72 percent of online shoppers use general search engines nine or more times per month, and a growing portion of those searches are shopping-related or local in nature, according to a consumer search behavior study by BizRate.com and the Kelsey Group.

The study found that 74 percent of respondents perform local searches, and 37 percent of online consumers are very familiar with shopping search sites.

“The data indicates that search continues to be the dominant way people find things on the Internet,” said Greg Sterling, director for Kelsey Group’s interactive local media program. “It also shows that awareness and usage of local search continues to grow.”

Respondents said 27 percent of their total search behavior was for local information. When the data is extrapolated to the general Internet population, it shows that 20 percent of all searches are local, Sterling said.

Nearly half of respondents, 43 percent, said that they preferred to research and shop online, while roughly 28 percent displayed some combination of offline/online behavior.