My thoughts for soon-to-be new ebike riders is to go to an ebike shop and just have a look around. There are so many styles of ebike and not all of them have a comparable analog to conventional bicycles; you might find a style which you've never even heard of that suits you well.
During your research phase, any ebike shop will be fine, since the goal is not to decide on a brand yet, but to hone your interests. You can also get advice from the staff, taken with a grain of salt, of course.
For new riders, I strongly encourage buying local, simply because maintenance and parts availability is what will soon distinguish serious ebike machines from cheap toys. And you can test ride it. But you may also want to consider various makes that sell online-only, as this can save decent sums of money.