What Customers Say Influences Purchasing (BIGresearch, 3/10/2008) —

Advertisers who are trying to increase their ROI would be well advised to pay more attention to what their customers say influence their purchases.

December 2007 research just published by BIGresearch, Worthington, OH, studied influences of 21 new and old media on purchasers of electronics by adults 18+. The most influential media are those with classic credibility: word of mouth influenced 42.6% of purchasers and "an article on the product" 34.3%.

Next are, in order:

• TV/Broadcast (27.9%), down a precipitous 13.9% over one year earlier
• Magazine advertising (24.7%), off 3.7% year over year
• Coupons (23.1%), up 1.6% year over year
• Direct mail (22.5%), up 4.6% year over year.

Among minority groups, direct mail is even stronger. To Hispanics 18+, direct mail (30.0%) almost ties "read article on product" (30.8%) behind TV (31.3%) and "word of mouth" (42.0%).

To African Americans 18+, direct mail (29.7%) beats "read article on product" (28.4%) behind radio (30.3%), TV (32.7%) and "word of mouth" (38.3%).

New media, including e-mail and internet advertising, follow behind direct mail.

BIGresearch is a consumer intelligence firm providing analysis of behavior in areas of products and services, retail, financial services, automotive, and media. BIGresearch's syndicated Simultaneous Media Survey (SIMM) is focused on consumers to gauge their consumption across media, products and services. The SIMM monitors more than 15,000 consumers twice each year.

Full article: http://www.bigresearch.com/news/big022008.htm