It is worthwhile reviewing each of the stages in the buying process referred to in
Figure 2.23 in order to highlight how effective the Internet can be when used at different
stages to support the marketing communications objectives. Of course, the exact stage of
the buying decision varies for different products and different types of customers, so an
alternative approach is to develop channel chains (Figure 2.10) which reflect these differ-
ences. In general, digital media support the consumer buying process as follows.
1 Consumer: unaware. Company: generates awareness (of need, product or service)
Generating awareness of need is conventionally achieved principally through the mass
media used in offline advertising. The Internet is relatively ineffective at this since it
tends to have a more limited impact and reach than television, radio or print media.
However, display advertising or paid search marketing can be used to supplement offline
awareness-building as explained in Chapter 8. Some companies such as Zopa (see Case
Study 2 below) have effectively developed brand awareness by means of PR and media
mentions concerning their success on the Internet, with the result that even if a cus-
tomer does not have a current need for a product, that customer may be aware of the
source when the need develops. Examples of e-businesses that have developed a well-
known brand include Amazon for books, Dell for computers, CDWOW for music,
Microsoft Expedia for Holidays and AutoByTel for cars. In more specialised business-to-
business sectors it may also be possible for a company to establish a reputation as a
preferred web site as a source of expertise in its sector (for example, http://www.siebel.comfor
CRM and http://www.tektronix.comfor test and measurement).
2 Consumer: aware of need, develops specification. Company: position features,
benefits and brand
Once a consumer is aware of a need and is considering what features and benefits he or
she requires from a product, then they may turn straight to the web to start identifying
the range of features available from a particular type of product through using a generic
search. Online, search engines such as Google, MSN and Yahoo! are important at this
stage and effectively increase comparison at an early stage in the buying processes.
Specification development effectively happens at the same time as supplier search and
more suppliers can be evaluated in greater depth than traditionally. For example, Figure
2.24 shows e-retailers available in paid search for an initial product search on fridges.
Retailers such as Comet are displayed in the natural listings (see Chapter 8) while others
such as Tesco are displayed in the sponsored links.
Intermediaries well known within a sector are very important in supplier search and
can also help in evaluation. For example, Shopgenie (www.shopgenie.co.uk) in the
example in Figure 2.24 or CNET (www.computers.com) provides detailed information
and reviews on computers to help consumers make the choice. The prospect will likely
also click through to destination sites to find out about, for example, features available
in a digital television or characteristics of a place to go on holiday. If a company is fortu-
nate enough to achieve interest at this point, then it has an early opportunity to enter a
dialogue with a customer and build the product’s brand and generate a lead.
3 Consumer: supplier search. Company: generate leads (engage and capture interest)
Once customers are actively searching for products (the directed information-seeker of
Lewis and Lewis, 1997), the web provides an excellent medium to help them do this. It
also provides a good opportunity for companies to describe the benefits of their web
sites and obtain qualified leads. The Internet marketer must consider the methods that a
ONLINE BUYER BEHAVIOUR