Focus Research Insight: What's the best way to compare apples to apples?

Across all verticals, buyers continue to plead for a simple way to compare vendors. Often they come to 3rd party sites for the sole purpose of finding a comparison matrix or some way to view the vendor landscape objectively. We ask buyers how they differentiate vendors and often they respond with "I depend on my notes." When evaluating multiple solutions, what have you found is the best way to compare vendors effectively and objectively?