Canadians research online… but are they buying online

I spent a lot of time last year researching Canadian based business and their adoption of eCommerce or online selling. The Boston Consulting Group did a study of the of G-20 countries that indicated that Canada is behind in the adoption of technology by business and in the size of our internet economy. This was echoed by the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in a policy resolution (Read more: The Digital Economy Strategy: Ensuring Canada’s Economic Success using Information and Communications Technologies). More recently I was reviewing a video from the BDC (Business Development Bank of Canada) that indicates that 84% of Canadian consumers are online and connected to the internet but only 17% of businesses in Canada actually sell online and that 20% of companies with 10 or more employees don’t even have a website. I’ll let that sink in. You can view the video on the BDC website, view video: CAPITALIZING ON THE INTERNET REVOLUTION. But now with this eMarketer article (Consumers in Canada Research Online, but Don’t Buy, After Seeing TV Ads) it confirms that Canadians are researching products online but suggests that they are not converting online, actually buying. It no doubt confirms that the audience is much more informed before they ever enter your business or retail location. But how can we close the gap and make more Canadian consumers buy online and more Canadian based business sell online. I’m working on it! ;o)

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