Consumers are seeking out retailers on Facebook and Twitter in growing numbers

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83% of consumers buying online at least once a week

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Forty-four percent of consumers reported that they research electronics online, but ultimately purchase electronics at a store, 30 percent do so with kitchen items, 28 percent with media and 28 percent prefer to research furniture online and buy it in the store.

Top reasons why consumers opt to make purchases in a store are to avoid shipping costs (62 percent), to try on, touch or feel an item (57 percent) and immediacy (50 percent).

Marketers can overcome the primary barriers to buying online by offering incentives that address the reasons many consumers research products online, but buy offline. Some of the top ways to encourage consumers to buy more products online are free shipping (87 percent), free returns (63 percent), and fast shipping (42 percent). In addition, the ability to use in-store coupons online is increasingly valued among consumers -- 51 percent indicated it is a motivator to make more purchases online -- up from the 19 percent reported in Q1 2010.

"As retailers look toward the rapidly approaching holidays, they should prepare for an uptick in spending -- over half of all respondents said that compared to last year, they will be spending as much or more this holiday season," said Debra Arbesman, retail associate at Compete. "Retailers should be mindful of these promising findings to create strategies that will better engage shoppers."

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