39 per cent tech buyers trust Web

NEW DELHI, INDIA: In a study conducted by Nielsen for Google India, Internet is becoming a key to consumers buying behavior. The finding also revealed that Web is only second to TV to create awareness for technology products. The report highlights the role of digital medium on individuals' purchasing patterns. It said that people who intend to buy products worth Rs 7,000 or more are likely to research online extensively.

Among the most searched technology brands, Google, in its study revealed that Samsung tops in mobile phones while Dell in laptop, Apple iPad in tablet and LG in refrigerator categories. The finding revealed that 39 per cent of technology products buyers trust Internet. It also said that 7 out of 10 seekers know the brand and model, they intend to purchase from a retail store, said Google's tech shopper report.

Google India VP and director (sales and operations) Rajan Anandan said that how users' behavior is changing offline is the core of the study. ''Technology products, is the largest searched vertical after travel in India,'' he said.

The top three growing searches, the study said, include tablet (160 per cent), TV (51 per cent) and mobile phones (41 per cent). It also said that most consumers already finalized the model (69 per cent) while 27 per cent changed their mind at retail store. ''The retailers' ability to influence buyer's mind is diminishing and companies need to look at engaging buyers online about their products and offerings. Secondly, the Internet is impacting decisions in tier 2 cities as well and mobiles are emerging as a strong medium,'' added Anandan.

In addition to the offline research, Google also looked into the search queries for the technology and consumer electronics product category for the duration of last 1 year, to benchmark the offline behavior with online search trends. Nielsen conducted study at 200 multi-brand and single-brand stores with a total of 3677 respondents from 12 cities, including metros. These respondents were interviewed while they were coming out from the stores. 86 per cent of respondents were male. Over 92 per cent of respondents were in the age group of 18 to 44.