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Ad trends—brand budgets are misaligned with consumer behaviors

by | Nov 5, 2018 | Marketing, Public Relations

E-commerce marketers at U.S. brands are struggling to keep pace with where and how consumers browse and purchase online, according to new research by ClickZ, in partnership with search and social media marketing firm Catalyst.

The study found that 85 percent of browsing and purchasing activity occurs with non-Amazon retailers, but only 25 percent of U.S. brands say they have a strategy for e-commerce retailers beyond Amazon.

The Era of Ecommerce: Capitalizing on the New Customer Journey study also found that there is a 29-percentage-point gap between the proportion of consumers who have visited a retailer to research and the proportion of brands who market on that retailer’s website (53 percent vs 24 percent).

Ad trends—brand budgets are misaligned with consumer behaviors

This report comes as a follow up to last year’s Age of Amazon report, in which ClickZ and Catalyst told the story of the e-commerce giant and what its ascent meant for marketers. Building on that, this report looks beyond only Amazon to assess the wider e-commerce industry, highlighting both consumer and advertiser behaviors.

From traditional search engines to e-commerce websites, and from vertical-specific retailers to visual search, the research seeks to understand how and when consumers use specific channels and how advertisers prioritize each channel. Significant opportunity awaits advertisers who think holistically about reaching consumers in each phase of the consumer cycle.

Ad trends—brand budgets are misaligned with consumer behaviors

“Our new research illuminates a significant disconnect between today’s consumer behavior and ecommerce advertising strategies,” said Kerry Curran, managing partner of marketing integration at Catalyst, in a news release. “We’re hopeful that marketers will be able to use our findings and recommendations to bridge this gap, and ultimately drive better returns for their businesses.”

Download the report here (registration required).

Ad trends—brand budgets are misaligned with consumer behaviors

The report is based on a survey of more than 750 North America-based consumers and more than 600 business to consumer (B2C) client-side marketers across the following nine sectors: appliances, baby care, beauty and personal care, clothing and apparel, consumer electronics, footwear, furniture and home decor, non-perishable goods and beverages, and toys. It includes in-depth interviews with numerous senior marketers actively engaged in e-commerce advertising for their brands. All surveys and interviews were conducted between June and September 2018.

Richard Carufel
Richard Carufel is editor of Bulldog Reporter and the Daily ’Dog, one of the web’s leading sources of PR and marketing communications news and opinions. He has been reporting on the PR and communications industry for over 17 years, and has interviewed hundreds of journalists and PR industry leaders. Reach him at richard.carufel@bulldogreporter.com; @BulldogReporter

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