The rise of the Internet's ability to provide consumers with instant information has also upped the stakes for instant gratification. More than ever before, consumers are jumping online not just to buy what they want, but to first research what they're going to buy.

That's created a new phase in the purchase cycle - research - that marketers can harness to make sure they get the sale come check-out time.

The relative ease and immediacy of Web research has accelerated the buying process for consumers, says one observer, and that puts a premium on the marketer Web site. "You don't have to wait for Consumer Reports to come out," says Geoff Linton, marketing professor at Kitchener, Ont.-based Conestoga College. "If you don't have information on your Web site, then consumers are just as likely to go over and possibly start looking at one of the competitors."

According to Starcom IP Syndicated Research, 74% of Canadians researched product information online in 2003. And 30% of those actually purchased online, well up from 19% in 2000. It also reports that vacations and automotive were second and fourth among most researched product categories online in 2003 (number one was computers/accessories and number three was consumer electronics).

Certainly, for big-ticket items, the Net is playing an increasingly important role in consumers' decision-making process. In the automotive sector, for example, Web use has steadily climbed as a purchase influencer among consumers. In 2001, Toronto-based automotive consultancy Maritz Research recognized the popularity of the Net by adding it to the firm's yearly consumer survey, which tracks purchase influences for automobiles. That year, about 5% of respondents said the Net most influenced their purchase decision. By 2003 that number had skyrocketed to 19%.

Car companies have taken note. Toyota Canada launched its Web site in 1997 (designed by Toronto-based Saatchi & Saatchi) and did a major refresh last year as part of a change in overall brand design. In concert, the site was also re-engineered to improve navigation and functionality, which included the addition of a car configurator.

David Brimson, national manager, PR and marketing for Toronto-based Toyota, says the design and functionality of Toyota.ca is significantly influenced by consumer research habits.

"Consumers are increasingly turning up at retail with an almost predestined vision of what they want," he explains. "So we have to ensure that we provide the best knowledge and information to help them make decisions."

Toyota achieves this via the site's structure, which Brimson says flows logically from one section to another along the "thought process" that people follow when shopping. The site begins at a macro level at "Welcome to Toyota" before taking the consumer through the model offerings and then the model variance areas where consumers can get more information on everything from safety to choosing a car colour. The consumer then moves on to the car configurator, then to pricing and finally to a quote on financing.