By Chris Nicholls

Internet pre-purchase research and retailer catalogue listing website Lasoo.com.au has claimed that Australians are researching purchases more and more online before buying.

The results, according to Hitwise figures, showed the site received 760,000 visits per month, with over two million unique visitors over its seven-month operating life. The figures make the site the number one Australian retail site (according to Hitwise figures), the company claimed, after only seven months in operation.

Lasoo.com.au is owned by the sales and marketing company Salmat and was developed to capitalise on the increasing tendency of consumers to use the internet for research before making a purchase.

“Salmat knew while it will continue to play a role in the number one advertising channel for retailers, which is catalogues, they knew the internet was going to play an increasingly important role as well,” said Lasoo.com.au executive director, Paul Marshall.

Lasoo.com.au recently released a statement citing research that over 80 per cent of adults connected to the internet to conduct research on a regular basis prior to purchasing at a retail store.

“The whole concept of Lasoo and Dynamic Catalogue … is that we know there are six million Australians online every month trying to find out what to buy from where,” said Marshall.

Visitors to the Lasoo site can see current catalogues from over 60 of Australia’s largest retailers, including Dick Smith Electronics, Target, Big W, Myer and OfficeWorks online before they shop, and search for products by category.