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Search engines are used to find information about specific brands or products. Consumers consider information they find online before completing a purchase, while the majority of people also look up information on products they plan to buy in-store. The moment a consumer goes online to search and evaluate information before purchasing a product or service is called The Zero
Moment of Truth (ZMOT). The purpose of this study is to emphasize the importance of the ZMOT, and the relevance of the information customers find online during this moment for their final purchase decision. The methodology adopted for this dissertation was quantitative and descriptive. In order to collect relevant data, a survey involving 152 respondents residing in Ireland was conducted. Key findings from this study suggest that users are less likely to buy products for which they can find little or no information online, and thus highlight the importance of online information for the consumer’s decision-making process.
