Many people don't realize that people are not searching, they are problem solving. They have information needs. They are looking for answers. We can see that we are fundamentally working with an attention economy. Human factors and economics are coming together.
Usability has a direct impact on the bottom line.
And, we are not talking about thousands of dollars. There are millions of dollars at the feet of usability researchers, and usability research. Actually, I am appalled at the lack of empirical research. There are a growing number of companies doing research in-house. This is good, and the religion is catching.