Keep in mind that the sites on this list are not an acknowledgement of their effectiveness but rather their popularity among Web professionals, the business community and consumers.
What is most unique about this list is its variety. From top-tier engines to comparison engines, and deal sites to social shopping providers, there is no shortage of resources for consumers to learn about and be exposed to products. And that's a good thing.
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ClearSaleing Inc. and Vetra Analytics published an Internet retail version of its American Attribution Index in September that measured the effectiveness of various online media sources and their influence factors on online consumer conversion. The study showed that many types of media sources contribute to and influence a consumer's purchase decision. According to the AAI news release, "branded and non-branded SEO, branded and non-branded paid search ads, comparison shopping engines, email, display and affiliates all play an important role in influencing purchase decisions among retail customers." That almost makes you want to branch out from paid search campaigns exclusively on Google, right?
The top few positions on this month's list are filled with the product-side interfaces of major search engines and large product networks like Amazon. But the real action happens further down the list. Comparison shopping engines such as Nextag.com, Bizrate.com and Shopzilla.com present major opportunities for ecommerce merchants looking to acquire more traffic and vital impressions from consumers.
Social shopping engines and tools are also noteworthy. As social media continues its rapid rise, these resources are becoming an integral part of the online experience for researching and buying products. Kaboodle, StyleFeeder and ThisNext make their mark in shopping circles and, as a result, increasingly importance to merchants.
Deal sites may be your best bang for the promotional buck. Pronto, DealTagger, Sortprice and Dealtime established modest followings with serious shoppers. Price-sensitive shoppers are aware of their existence, and so should you.
It may be difficult to ensure your products appear on each and every one of these virtual product shelves, but doing so may be what makes this holiday season a festive one.
ABOUT THIS DATA
Website Magazine's Top 50 rankings are a measure of a website's popularity. Ranks are calculated using a proprietary method that focuses on average daily unique visitors and page views over a specified period of time as reported by multiple data sources. The sites with the highest combination of factors are ranked in the first position. Website Magazine'sTop 50 list should influence your buying decision but perform necessary due diligence before investing your time and resources. Conducting research, making formal comparisons, and talking to existing clients and users before starting are always the best course of action. Let this act as an important starting guide for your Web success.