Forester Report, July 26, 2012: “Some 30% of online buyers began researching their last online purchase with Amazon, compared with 13% researching a product on Google, according to a new Forrester survey of nearly 4,000 US respondents. This is a growing trend as Amazon increasingly becomes the first-stop shop for consumers, taking market share away from other retailers. What’s more, Amazon continues to see astounding growth for a business of its size. In the US alone, 86% of consumers who say they have purchased from a web marketplace have also shopped with Amazon at some point in the past. This aggressive growth, combined with expansion into diverse businesses and growing profitability, has made Amazon’s impact on the eBusiness and retailing sectors top of mind for many. In fact, for many businesses, Amazon has simultaneously become a sales channel, a potential service provider, and a competitive threat.”