studies

For the first time ever the majority of purchasers does online research before purchasing. The online purchase share shows limited growth for most products, however online research grows strongly and consistently across all countries and products.

Key Findings

• Online purchase mainly grows in travel and media, however online research grows strongly and consistently across all countries and products.
• Online research grows equally strong amongst online and offline purchasers and is consistent amongst countries and products as well.
• Products of higher value show both more online research and more online purchase than lower value products.

The Global Business Map provides a country profile for 48 countries on 6 different continents. The country profiles give an overview of fundamental country facts and specific market insights. We have collected those metrics most relevant for uncovering market potential and to help you recognise business opportunities specific to your company. This guide also provides an introduction to a range of products and tools available to you at Google, which are each explained briefly to help you get acquainted with the different ways in which you can reach out and connect with your target markets.

Each country page contains the following data:

• Basic Facts: official country name, capital, area, top-level domain, official or most spoken language, local currency, age distribution and GDP in terms of purchasing power parity and rank. GDP in each country has been expressed in US Dollars.
• Demographics: Population (total, growth and country rank), a breakdown of the age distribution according to gender and age group, median age.
• Internet statistics: The Internet penetration of the population, the total number of broadband and fixed Internet subscriptions, as found by the International Telecommunications Union.
• Google Contact: The email address that you can use to get in touch with our local representatives. They will be happy to give you more insight into the statistics you can find in the pages here and connect your ideas with the appropriate Google products.

This research offers unique insights into the usage of internet enabled devices (PCs, smartphones, tablets, etc.) as well as internet & broadband penetration and online behaviour per market. The enumeration survey was conducted during Q1 2012 in 40 markets, this is the overview on SEEMEA emerging & mature markets.

Key findings:

• Highest smartphone and tablet usage in the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Among the European markets, Spain and France have the highest penetrations.
• In two thirds of the SEEMEA countries, PC penetration is higher than 66%. In half of the markets, Laptops/Notebooks are more popular than desktop pcs.
• Less than 2 thirds of the population use the Internet in 6 SEEMEA markets. Lowest usage in Egypt - with a clear distance to the other markets.
• Mobile networks are most often used to access the Internet on a smartphone followed by Wifi/WLAN at home.
• In Portugal and France Internet enabled TV are used by about one fifth of the population. eReaders are the device with the smallest penetration.

This study analyzes the general travel behaviour, booking behaviour and research patterns of travellers in Portugal.

Key findings:

• Bookings in the travel vertical are accompanied by an in-depth research process characterized by a parallel usage of online and offline sources.
• Search engines are the top online information source and widely used in every research stage they serve as an important navigator to relevant sources

This study will help you understand more about how consumers in Portugal research a new automobile purchase online.

Key findings:

• The most important sources for researching a new car are dealerships, search engines and dealer websites.
• 7 in 10 buyers use the Internet in the buying process
• Online videos play an increasingly important role; two thirds of car buyers use them.
• Thanks to the proliferation of smartphones, mobile devices are becoming an important way for car buyers to conduct research.

This study will help you understand more about how consumers in Portugal use various information sources, including the internet, when making retail purchases.

Key findings:

• Online research drives offline sales: online research prior to offline purchase is very popular across all categories (ROPO effect)
• In the online research process search engines (and e-shops) are the dominant tools for starting and intensifying product research – regardless of category
• Search engines are dominant tools for initial and intensive research: search creates awareness for new shopping facilities and navigates to relevant sources
• Accordingly presence on search engines enables presence in the online research process and subsequently relevance for the offline purchase

This research offers insight into the usage of internet enabled devices (PCs, smartphones, tablets, etc.) as well as internet & broadband penetration and online behaviour.