When shopping for electronics for the home, parents turn to the web for detailed product reviews.  Price may narrow down the options, but the brands and features parents consider are determined by how the product is reviewed online.  And the older their children are, the more parents rely on the internet.

These are the findings of a new study from ConsumerSearch.com and Harris Research. The “TeenFluence Survey“  looked on the most common factors affecting purchase decisions for teens and their parents.  Teens have a lot to say about electronics products, but parents hold the credit cards so their research determines what makes it to the cash register.

“At the end of the day, parents are making the most of online resources and no doubt looking to their own peers for views and reviews.” – Christine Frietchen, editor-in-chief, ConsumerSearch.com

This is another example of the importance of strong consumer advocacy online.  Buying home electronics can be a complicated process – technologies are constantly evolving and unless you are a fanboi,  new acronyms can make the simplest concept sound confusing.  Online product reviews from real people cut through the noise and tell people what they want to hear in a language that makes sense to them.

A Google search for LCD TV reviews will turn up dozens of consumer review sites.  Even a professional review of a product like this on CNET can be surrounded by a hundred consumer reviews.  The comments in these reviews can often dive even deeper in the user experience and add more commentary about things like value for the money, the setup/installation process and customer support.