Consumer control 'driving online retail'

19th March 2008

People are moved to make complex purchases online because of the element of control this medium offers, it has been claimed.

Phil Gates, marketing director of Glasses Direct, told E-consultancy that the "leap of faith" required by consumers when purchasing spectacles on the web should be considered in light of the increased influence online retail offers the customer.

Mr Gates compared the shift to web-based glasses purchases to the boom witnessed by the online insurance market, observing the "faith that the public demonstrated when moving to buying insurance online not so many years ago, rather than being told what policy they should have by a broker".

Figures released this month by comScore revealed that last year saw the number of car insurance policies purchased on the internet exceed two million.

The online optician representative advised start-ups to ensure they adopt a customer-focused perspective and to manage their budget carefully.