How French Consumers Use The Net To Research And Buy Financial Products

The Internet has been slow to take off as a distribution channel for financial products in France. Although 18% of French consumers have researched a financial product online and 3% have bought a financial product online in the past year, these proportions are almost the same as in 2007. French online adults, or Internautes, are most likely to research current accounts online, though only 12% do so. Simple and familiar products are best suited for online distribution, and self-directed, confident, and experienced customers are the most likely to research and buy online. To encourage researching and buying on their Web sites, French eBusiness executives should promote the Internet more extensively, design sites with customers' goals in mind, offer interactive help, and follow up with customers who abandon online applications.