The Internet has opened up the world of the consumer more than any one probably ever envisaged. Whilst for some, nothing will ever beat the thrill of bricks and mortar retail therapy, for others shopping online is de rigeur. Even those people who are making investment or lifestyle purchases such as phones, furniture, white goods and electricals have probably been online to check stuff out before venturing out to buy.
E-commerce has certainly brought about a revolution in shopping, but this has become even more revolutionary in the financial services sector. Where looking for a loan or insurance used to be a hugely long winded job, the rapid blossoming of online sites selling financial products has completely changed the way people now access money related products. Whilst some sites are specific to a bank, provider or an insurance company, there is also a flood of sites that provide immediate view comparison of all the products available on the market.
The growth has been so rapid that the online consumer now faces a new dilemma. Even before they'd managed to grasp the fact that motor, home and pet insurance was available at a few clicks of the mouse, and wrestle with which sites to visit, the new problem is which are the best comparison sites to use. Naturally, what's needed is the opportunity to compare the comparison sites.
Having a companion site to the comparison sites is vital. A lot of time can be wasted by choosing the wrong comparison site. For example, some major insurance providers refuse to allow their details to be included on such sites. A user would want to know this. If a comparison site doesn't advertise they don't cover all sites, how would a consumer know what potential deals they are not being shown?
Using a site that lists the best and worst features of the comparison sites at least allows potential users to make an informed decision about where to start.