Growth in Home-Based Online Searches

The property market is continuing to grow and this has bolstered the online home and garden business. New data shows that there has been an increase in the number of online searches performed in this area. As consumers become more effective at online research, they are using this to search for a wider range of products and services.

With house prices on the up and consumers more confident about the state of the economy, they are looking for inspiration regarding their homes and gardens. They want these areas to look stylish and use the internet as a means of gaining ideas and selecting the most appropriate products. This covers a number of different sectors, from sofas and beds to home appliances and staircase manufacturers.

Researching the Perfect Solution

Consumers understand the importance of research and want to find a bargain rather than just buying from the first store they come across. This has helped increase the number of internet searches for these products across quarter three. Searches for home-based goods and services were up by 15%, according to data from both Google and the British Retail Consortium. These growth levels were higher than during the previous two quarters: the number of searches was up 9% in quarter one and 13% in quarter two.

The most popular items that consumers searched for in the last quarter were beds. These were closely followed by the Nutribullet, which is an innovative new juicer, and Dyson vacuum cleaners.

There is a wide range of reasons why consumers use the internet to search for property-related products and suppliers. By doing effective research, customers are able to make a more informed decision, which reduces the likelihood of them wasting their money or purchasing the wrong item. For example, the use of research for selecting the most appropriate mortgage has been an asset to the financial industry. It has actually helped approval levels, as buyers are more inclined to apply for the product that is the most suitable.

Searching on the Move

Whether they’re searching for new dining furniture or staircase manufacturers, advances in technology mean that consumers are becoming more used to doing their research on the move. The increase in sales of advanced smartphones and tablets has made accessing the internet at work, on the train or outdoors more achievable. It means that customers don’t have to be on their home PC to buy items for the home and garden.

There has been a rise in the number of property-related searches carried out on smartphones. This has grown by 41% during quarter three compared with the same period last year. There has also been a 22% rise in the number of tablet searches conducted.

The rise of internet shopping has coincided with the growth in the number of consumers who want to get the best value for money on everything they buy. They’re now using online services to research a number of areas, but particularly in the home and gardens sector. This trend shows no sign of abating in the near future.