Throw out the old communications models. Consumers are taking back control over their purchasing decisions. Or at least seeking a second opinion.

Before deciding whether to purchase recommended products or services, more than four-out-of-five consumers (81%) will go online to verify those recommendations, even from the most trusted of sources. Increased skepticism of traditional media, technology advancements and growing online connectivity have American consumers turning to online influencers to confirm their opinions prior to making purchase decisions. Heeding this behavior shift, marketers began targeting consumers’ inner circles with word-of-mouth then social media campaigns as the new marketing tipping point for purchase decisions.

Today, these campaigns are no longer enough. Data from the 2010 Cone Online Influence Trend Tracker reveal consumers have added yet another step prior to reaching for the credit card – online verification. Thus, personal recommendations alone are no longer enough to guarantee a purchase, as three-quarters of consumers (77%) agree they are more likely to purchase products or services when they can find additional recommendations about them online. Among 25- to 34-year-olds, online verification is even more vital; 91 percent will go online to verify recommendations before making a purchase and nearly the same number (90%) are more likely to purchase products or services after finding additional online recommendations.

The tone of online information plays a powerful role in the purchase decision, often outweighing the initial recommendation. More than two-thirds of consumers (68%) agree negative product or service information found online can be a mitigating factor in deciding whether to purchase. Conversely, positive information reinforces purchase recommendations for a full 80 percent of Americans.

Online verification may not be required for every product category, but our research shows that there is a wide range of products and services that will be scrutinized via the Internet regardless of price point. Verification is now the deciding factor to drive consumers to that final purchase, and marketers who ignore this behavior shift will miss out on a golden opportunity to influence purchase decisions.

Be sure to check out our fact sheet, and let us know what you think. How often do you go online to confirm purchase recommendations?