In the fourth quarter of 2009, we conducted a survey of more than 1,000 consumers to determine what channels they use to research, browse, and purchase products and services, and why they might switch from one channel to the next during their buying process. Though we’ve long been urging businesses to adopt a more tightly integrated, cross-channel strategy as a means to satisfying customer demands and ensuring business growth, the results of this study were eye-opening, even to us.

Our new report, “Cross-Channel Commerce: The Consumer View,” just went live today and provides an in-depth look at how consumers are using commerce channels like the Web, brick-and-mortar stores, catalogs, mobile devices, and customer service representatives.

Here are a few highlights that I found particularly interesting:

• Nearly one-third of consumers say they jump between more than three different channels from the time they start researching products and services to when they complete the purchase; 78 percent use at least two or more channels
• The vast majority (78 percent) of consumers are still browsing catalogs, but more than 40 percent of consumers said they never make purchases through a catalog
• 15 percent of consumers between the age of 18 and 34 are making purchases on their mobile phones on a monthly basis and 8 percent are doing this weekly

We invite you to take a closer look at this research and draw your own conclusions, but based on what we’re seeing, there’s a great opportunity for merchants to enhance their cross-channel approaches, provide consumers with the consistency they need and want, and benefit from the opportunity to close sales faster, more regularly, and with greater efficiency.

Earlier this month, I had the pleasure to take part in a very informative panel at Mobile Boot Camp in San Francisco, co-hosted by the National Retail Federation and Mobile Commerce Daily. I was joined on the panel by Tracy Benson, senior director of interactive marketing and emerging media at Best Buy, and Mickey Alam Khan, editor of Mobile Commerce Daily.

Tracy had some terrific insights on how Best Buy sees the mobile channel as affecting every customer interaction, including browsing and research, sharing with friends and family, asking support questions, and making purchases.

A key theme I highlighted was that retailers should look at mobile as not a disconnected channel and independent experience, but as a connector of cross channel shopping. Research has shown cross-channel shoppers to have higher household incomes and to be associated with higher average order values, so the more retailers can interact with them across the various channels (mobile, Web, in store, contact center, catalog), the more valuable those customers will be.

Check out Mobile Marketer’s coverage for more about Mobile Boot Camp.

You all have heard the good word – online sales are on the rise and consumer confidence is steadily increasing. But the interesting part about the uptick in online sales is that customers are using their credit cards less to make online purchases.

A recent article on WalletPop.com entitled, “Customers rely less on credit cards when buying online,” highlights a new study from Javelin Strategy & Research which reveals that Americans are using other payment methods such as PayPal and debit cards more frequently.

The research group attributes the decline in credit card activity to the advances in technology to make online shopping more secure, and consumers’ desires to curb their “buy now, pay later” spending and keep their debt under control.

What are your thoughts on this trend? Please share them with us – we’d love to hear what you have to say.

Many e-commerce and marketing executives we talk with understand how proactive chat can improve their online conversion rates and order values. But because chat may require a headcount increase in their contact centers – a cost center that they don’t control – they sometimes have trouble making the business case.

David’s Bridal is a great case study on using an outsourced contact center to staff proactive chat on a retail Web site. Implementing a best-of-breed proactive chat solution, but outsourcing the agents to handle the chats, allows retailers like David’s Bridal to obtain the benefits of chat but avoid adding headcount. If you’re an e-commerce or contact center executive trying to make the business case for proactive chat, I’d encourage you to listen to today’s Webinar, “David’s Bridal: Boosting Conversions & Average Order Value on ‘High Touch’ Online Transactions.” You’ll learn how David’s Bridal worked with Clicks & Mortar Consulting, InstantService Chat from ATG, and Global Response, an expert outsourced contact center, to drive an incremental lift in conversation rates and average order values – without adding new headcount to the contact center.

Join this 45-minute webinar and better understand how live help – with an outsourced contact center strategy – can become an integral part of your online sales growth.