As much as 77 per cent of all electronic goods purchases made offline have previously been researched by the consumer on the internet, according to a new study conducted by Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) and Yahoo.

The largely US-focussed study demonstrates the impact web marketing can have, particularly when it comes to selling certain goods such as computers, mobile phones and televisions.

Speed and ease of researching a purchase is cited as the primary reason why so many people are now using the internet to find an electronic bargain.

The recent research also found that people who make use of search engines to compare the value of certain goods are likely to consider a range of brands before buying and recommend certain brands to friends and family.

"The average consumer uses six different sources to guide their decision," said CEA's market research director, Tim Herbert.

"Getting the right mix of sources is critical to a manufacturer's success," he added.

USA Today recently reported that soaring sales of Apple's iPod music players have helped boost sales of some of its other electronic products.