Hunters And Gatherers In An Online World

Hunters and Gatherers are two modes of shopping that all shoppers exhibit from time to time. The report suggests that by failing to take into account the mode of shopping of site visitors, many sites are failing to maximize their online sales.

"The Hunters and Gatherers report explores the fact that we all shop online in different ways according to our specific needs, and our understanding of the products that may satisfy these needs," suggests Nigel Fenwick, President of eRetailNews and author of the report. "Online retailers that understand how individuals move between hunting and gathering as their needs change, are able to design features into their sites to convert more shoppers into buyers, whether they are hunting or gathering."

The report suggests online shoppers are exhibiting gatherer traits when they are not sure what specific products they want to buy. "They have a need but they require more product knowledge in order to make an informed purchase." Hunters, by contrast, have a clear understanding of the exact product they are shopping for. "They go online and search for the product they need." The report suggests specific techniques online retailers should adopt to attract both hunters and gatherers. It uses examples of existing retail web sites to illustrate these techniques.

The concept of "Synonym Fog" is also introduced in the report to explain the problem of finding the correct product using a retail site's search engine. "Many leading online retailers are hiding their products behind inadequate search engines," says Fenwick. "Every time a search engine returns the message, 'product not found', the retailer might as well be saying to the shopper, 'we don't have that item, why don't you try at our competitor, who is after all, only a click away!' Sadly it is sometimes extremely difficult to find specific products on some of the major retail websites. These retailers need to clear the fog to convert more hunters into buyers."

The latest report is available free for a limited time. A copy of the report may be requested online at http://www.eretailnews.com/report/

About eRetailNews

The eRetail Report, published monthly by eRetailNews, has become an essential read for many retail executives. eRetailNews also publishes information and analysis on the Internet retail industry on the eRetailNews Web site and via its free eNewsletter which is distributed around the world. eRetailNews also maintains a directory of retail technology products and services through its RetailTekWeb site. The International eRetail Association provides retailers and individuals in the US and around the world with access to a range of member benefits, including discounts on attendance at industry events.