StatMarket: CNET Nets Higher Conversions

WebSideStory's StatMarket division recently conducted a study, which showed that CNET's conversion ratio was 28% percent higher than the conversion rate from the next most efficient search engine (AOL).

What I read into this is that conversion on ELECTRONICS items, which is what was measured here, it significantly higher from a website that is *known* for, and branded as a site for those into tech and electronics. Hence, people are more likely to convert simply by their being a more focused audience. The Google conversion does not suprise me, as it's simply the least *targeted* or focused of the search vehicles.

Order Conversion Rates: Searches To Gift/Electronics Sites

           Conversion Ratio 
CNET            1.64% 
AOL             1.28% 
Overture        1.25% 
iWon            1.15% 
LookSmart       1.14% 
MSN             1.04% 
Yahoo           1.01% 
Netscape        0.93% 
Lycos           0.92% 
Google          0.85% 

Source: WebSideStory's StatMarket data, May-October 2003.