Become.com, the only vertical search engine to combine product-focused Web search with comparison shopping, today revealed the results of its consumer research that showed a clear consumer preference for Become's solution vs. Google's for online shopping search. While industry data shows that most consumers begin their shopping searches with Google, Become.com's study proved that when given a choice, respondents chose Become.com's solution by a significant 55-45% margin.
"We were excited to put Become.com to the test against Google, the default shopping leader, and find such a clear and enthusiastic preference for Become.com's integrated relevant research and comparison shopping service," said Become.com Founder and CEO Michael Yang. "We have worked very hard to deliver a better way to search and shop for products online and this study validates our efforts to give consumers a superior experience."
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Online survey participants searched three products using both Google and Become.com. After each search, they were asked which service provided better results across a range of criteria including site organization, bringing relevant information together in one place and ease of navigation. Participants were demographically and geographically balanced and had no ties to either company but were experienced online shoppers.
The survey was conducted by Cascade Strategies of Seattle which specializes in market research for Fortune 1000 and Internet businesses. Jerry Johnson, CEO of Cascade Strategies, noted that the preference for Become was even more striking when his team reviewed the enthusiastic written responses of those who chose Become versus those who preferred Google. "It's rare to find a new solution receiving such enthusiastic endorsements and they were in sharp contrast to the Google hold-outs whose preferences were more based on familiarity than on delight with the results."
Respondents were asked to compare results for searches for digital cameras and DVD players and then were invited to do their third search from a list of top 100 product categories from Shopping.com. For all three searches, Become's results won favor with the majority of respondents.
Following is a representative sample of respondent remarks:
Become fans: "As much as I like Google, I think Become.com is better organized and easier to navigate." "Become is a much easier and more useful search engine than Google." "Best all around for shopping..."
Google fans: "Because I am more used to it." "Because I am able to search everything on Google." "Because I'm not always shopping for something."
Yang concluded: "We recognize that Google does a good job for general research. However, what we set out to prove was that Become.com is a better solution for shopping search. And we proved that by a wide margin. This is great news as we head into the all important holiday shopping season."
Become.com's integrated search and shopping service is unique in a market saturated with general search engines that deliver increasingly irrelevant results and with comparison shopping sites that give prices without providing independent product information and reviews to help users make better buying decisions. BusinessWeek Online readers recently ranked Become.com the top Buying and Selling site in their "Best of the Web" competition.
Copies of the Summary Research Report are available for download at http://www.become.com/challenge.html.
About Become.com
Become.com is a powerful search engine and comparison shopping service. Founded by industry pioneers Michael Yang and Yeogirl Yun, creators of MySimon, Become.com helps people make better buying decisions and purchases online. Become.com searches over four billion web pages and uses its patent-pending AIR™ (Affinity Index Ranking) search technology to provide the Internet's most useful product reviews and guides, and then makes it easy to find and buy products from brand name retailers at the best prices. With over 20 million products from 5000 merchants, Become.com provides the Web's most robust and easy to use combination of relevant product research and comparison shopping. Please visit us at www.become.com.
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SOURCE: Become.com