Although the purchase volume of in-store transactions remains dominant (well over 90 percent of consumer purchases are concluded in a physical store), digital pre-store shopping tools are becoming more and more popular.

Nielsen reports the following based on its research:

“Before they hit the stores, shoppers leverage an array of online resources to give themselves a leg up when they get to the shelves. The most common resources are coupon sites and retailer Web sites. What are they looking for? Deals and trip planning tools.”

“Not all categories are equal when it comes to digital influence. Brands in personal care, infant care, and nutritional categories have the highest pre-store digital engagement levels. Social media plays a big role among these digitally influenced brand purchases, but it’s not the only digital forum that matters.”

Click the image to read more from Nielsen.