WASHINGTON, Dec. 30, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- SCORE, – www.score.org - mentors to America's small businesses, has gathered statistics concerning how much online activity consumers engage in prior to a purchase and how well small businesses' websites are rising to the challenge of fulfilling these consumers' needs for information.

Consumers Do Their Research Online

According to data presented visually in the infographic, consumers research a purchase heavily online prior to making a purchase:

• 97% of consumers search online for products & services
• 70% compared prices or read reviews
• 88% have been influenced by an online review
• 91% have visited a store because of an online experience
• 37% use the internet to find a store at least 1x/month

Small Business Websites Failing to Meet Consumers' Needs

While more and more consumers are searching and purchasing online, small business websites aren't doing all that they can to be found as potential providers for these products and services. Only 51% of small businesses even have websites but of those that do:

• 70% have no call to action
• 27% don't provide a telephone number
• 68% don't have an email address on the home page
• 82% don't have social media accounts
• 56% don't have meta data to improve searches

And these eye-opening statistics are hitting the bottom line for small businesses; 50% of online sales are lost when visitors can't find content.

Mobile Compatibility Important, Lacking

Of consumers surveyed, 4 out of 5 have used a smartphone to shop and 96% researched a product or service on their phone. 73% of mobile searches trigger follow-up sharing, calls, sales or store visits. Sadly, small businesses are not cashing in on this trend – 93.3% of SMB websites are not mobile compatible.

Download this month's SCORE Infographic to access all the data regarding consumers' usage of business websites and small businesses' ability to connect with and serve their customers online.

DOWNLOAD HERE: https://www.score.org/resources/infographic-customer-friendly-websites

About SCORE
Since 1964, SCORE has helped more than 10 million aspiring entrepreneurs. Each year, SCORE provides small business mentoring, workshops and education to more than 375,000 new and growing small businesses. More than 11,000 business experts volunteer as mentors in over 320 chapters serving local communities with entrepreneur education.

For more information about starting or operating a small business, call 1-800/634-0245 for the SCORE chapter nearest you. Visit SCORE at www.score.org. Connect with SCORE at www.facebook.com/SCOREFans and www.twitter.com/SCOREMentors.

Contact Information
Aliana Marino
800/634-0245
media@score.org

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20141229/166267-INFO

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-infographic-trends-in-online-shopping-how-well-are-small-business-websites-meeting-consumers-needs-300014340.html

SOURCE SCORE Association

Related Links

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