In a one year case study of consumer behaviors, Yahoo! and OMD have developed a comprehensive analysis of The Long and Winding Road: The Route to the Cash Register. Along with consumer behaviors and trends, their study identifies the four paths consumers travel on their way to checkout.

It is on these paths that you, the seller, needs to capture their attention. The study also identified that with ever increasing technology the purchasing process has become more and more collaborative. People are taking pictures of furniture with their phones and emailing cute skirts to their friends for advice. Programs like ScanBuy and Frucall provide price comparison from your cell phone. And of course Internet allows at home window shopping. A flashy and efficient site is imperative to capture the impulse buyers who didn’t necessarily log on to buy something, but capturing the more patient and contemplative customers is more of a challenge.

In the study, 39% of shoppers gathered information before purchasing. Tellingly, 12% of people read online customer reviews as part of their research, while only 6% read the old curmudgeon, Consumer Reports. The extent of customer research has resulted in very little brand loyalty. Most people don’t set out with a brand in mind so capturing their attention is that much easier (or harder depending on what you’re selling.) Email promotions and online ads give a needed incentive to consumers. You can have the sleekest most efficient site on the Internet, but if no one goes there, no one will see it. The report is full of information on buyer behavior and is well worth a read.