Dive Brief:

• According to a recent UPS report, 90% of consumers research products before buying them online. The report also found that while 79% of customers consider price to be the most important factor to research before purchasing an item online, consumers also consider product details (43%) and delivery costs (43%).

• For 58% of U.S. customers surveyed, Amazon was the top research resource. Ninety-six percent of consumers surveyed for the report said they made a purchase from an online marketplace within the past three months. When it comes to returning goods, however, 39% of U.S. shoppers said they take goods directly to a store, the report found.

• U.S. consumers spend $191 on average per online transaction, but the consumers who use digital wallets, such as Apple Wallet or Google Wallet, spend $253 per online transaction on average, the report found. The report noted that 68% of U.S. shoppers earning more than $150,000 annually said they stop using a service after a bad experience. Only 56% of online shoppers at lower income levels said the same.

Dive Insight:

It should come as no surprise that shoppers consider delivery options when making online purchasing decisions. Previous research has indicated that shoppers like free shipping and other deals to help them save on costs. However, while the consumer may be saving on their immediate purchase, it's the retailer that will pay the price for the free shipping.

Consumers' reliance on Amazon for discovering and delivering goods also falls in line with previous research about the online retailer. Amazon has long gone head-to-head with Google for product searches and consumers prefer the online retail giant thanks to its free shipping offerings.

If nothing else, the UPS report illustrates that online retailers need to maintain high standards and alluring perks to entice shoppers. Previous research has indicated that shoppers want free shipping, free product giveaways and high-quality goods.