The term ROBO has been around for several years now. It was coined by Yahoo and means, “Research online, Buy Offline” which is one of the most common ways people do their shopping today. While all marketers know that some of their online efforts will translate into offline sales, many miss just how huge of an opportunity this can be.
BazaarVoice has completed a new report titled, “ROBO economy: how reading reviews impacts offline sales” The report found that as many as 82% of shoppers are using their smart phones as ‘shopping assistants’ while browsing in stores. They read reviews, check prices and do other types of investigations.
When it comes to sales, different categories are searched online more than others. The report found the following information for products researched online and then bought offline:
- Appliances – 58%
- Electronics – 54%
- Food – 19%
- Beauty – 26%
- Tools & Hardware – 32%
The full report goes into greater detail and provides statistics for additional categories.
The summary of the report states that they estimate that for every $1 generated online by reviews, up to $4 or $5 is generated offline. When it comes to using reviews and other content for marketing, this is a clear indication of just how great this type of marketing can be.
You can see the full report HERE.
