Internet and online voucher codes play a vital role in gaining more retail sales

Online, December 3, 2009 (Newswire.com) - Price aware consumers turn to the internet in order to research prices before making a purchasing decision. Whilst on the high street luxury brands are struggling to gain any interest, luxury brands with an online presence are thriving.

The internet is the primary tool of choice for consumers searching for a bargain. More people in the UK have access to the internet and use it regularly. Consumers are spending more time using price comparison sites in order to see which retailer offers the best value for money and discount code sites to ensure they get an affordable price.

Research by ComScore found that although consumers are visiting more retail sites, they are actually buying from fewer places. Consumers are searching and reviewing prices and then choosing the retailer which offers the best value for money.

Consumers' perception of value is changing. Whereas pre recession consumers accepted the first prices they were offered by retailers, they are now more willing to research prices and haggle for products. Whilst consumers are happy to spend more on products they see as worthy- for example holidays and luxury items, they tend to be very price conscious for electrical goods and household items.

Retail sites which are viewed as giving value for money, for example Amazon are seeing more consumers visit their site. The same can be said for vouchers sites such as VoucherSeeker, who offer promotional codes and voucher codes for high street items, for example Vodafone promotional codes (http://www.voucherseeker.co.uk/file/8c07f9b2387a79aa4860f829cdf713e7/vodafone-promotional-code.html) for money off mobile phones or Currys discount codes (http://www.voucherseeker.co.uk/file/a62ac26940c49940f7f8da1eabd901e1/currys-discount-codes.html) for electricals.

"Consumers today want value for money, especially over the Christmas period." States Ed Wilkinson, VoucherSeeker Director, "People are more aware of prices they can get and can check prices online at home without trailing around shops all day."

As consumers become more price savvy and check prices online, retailers are beginning to focus on not only cutting costs and overheads, but providing value.

According to Ed: "Value really is what consumers want. They have a very specific idea of what value for money is and what does not count as value for money."

Another way consumers are able to save money is by using discount vouchers and discount codes from sites such as VoucherSeeker for money off items. According to website Hitwise, the number of people searching for the term 'vouchers' has increased by 40%.

In fact, research by Razorfish has found that 44% of consumers actively engage with brands on social networking sites such as Twitter in order to gain vouchers for money off brands. Consumers who engaged with brands online were more likely to not only purchase from these brands but also recommend these brands to others. Furthermore, consumers are highly influenced by positive and negative online reviews of retailers when making a purchasing decision.

This trend for 'value for money' amongst consumers is seeing established grocery brands once again become popular as consumers remember their childhood favourites. Part of this is that people are turning to comfort foods in the recession but another is that consumers see these brands as providing value for money.

A positive effect internet retailers can have on shoppers is to ensure they have a good shopping experience. According to Razorfish research, a positive brand experience online via websites and promotional codes can help to create new customers and drive sales. In fact, 65% of the 1,000 consumers surveyed said they made their first purchase from a new brand due to a positive experience with a microsite, voucher or email.

Consumers who had a positive or negative experience online were more likely to change their opinion of the brand. 65% of consumers agreed that this changed their opinion. 97% of these also agreed that the experience influenced whether they purchased the brand or not.

Online retailers who want to make an impact on the online world need to ensure that they offer consumers value for money. Shoppers are more wary of how they spend their money and are more willing to research products and prices before making a purchasing decision. Other factors which will influence shopper behaviour is whether retailers offer voucher codes and discount vouchers through sites such as VoucherSeeker (http://www.voucherseeker.co.uk/vouchercodes). Finally, retailers need to ensure that consumers experiences online are positive as this will ensure customer loyalty and encourage new shoppers to make a purchasing decision.

About VoucherSeeker

http://www.voucherseeker.co.uk is a leading UK voucher codes website. It features all the latest vouchers, voucher codes and discount codes from a wide range of shops and top brands. Users can use the site to find the latest discount vouchers and promotional codes to save money on many products and services. VoucherSeeker also provides its users with details of all the latest sales and promotions.

For further information, please contact Deborah Read at VoucherSeeker: email: [email protected], direct line: +44 113 380 0891.

VoucherSeeker® and ClickAngel® are registered trademarks of ClickAngel Ltd. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.