Here’s how and why consumers are shopping

Shoppers visit multiple e-commerce sites before making a purchase.

A new survey provides insight into shopping drivers and behaviors, including for the holiday season.

According to the annual “2024 Consumer Product Content Benchmark Report” from product content orchestration platform 1WorldSync, the percentage of 1,750 surveyed U.S. and Canadian shoppers who search four or more sites before making a significant purchase increased by six percentage points since the 2023 study (from 20% to 26%). 

In addition, 25% of respondents increased their use of Chinese budget or fast-fashion e-commerce sites like Temu or Shein compared to 2023; overall, 65% have shopped on such sites up 11 percentage points year-over-year.

And one in four (26%) respondents have made a purchase through TikTok Shop, similar to recent findings from Omnisend that 33% of U.S. consumers have shopped using the Chinese app’s e-commerce platform. 1WorldSync survey respondents were primarily driven by influencer recommendations (27%) or attractive discounts (26%).

[READ MORE: How popular are Chinese shopping apps with Gen Z?]

Nearly half (49%) of respondents made a purchase based on an influencer’s recommendation in the past year, up from 40% in 2023. Notably, respondents aged 25-34 ranked influencer recommendations as the most impactful factor aside from price.

The survey also revealed some interesting statistics in other areas:

E-commerce

• Four in 10 (41%) respondents said they increased their use of retail e-commerce sites and marketplaces compared to 2023, while only 9% reduced their activity in these channels. Conversely, only 15% said they’re browsing brands direct-to-consumer sites more than in 2023, compared to 21% who are using this channel less.
• Nearly two in three (65%) respondents often or always read ratings and reviews, with customer-submitted images, videos and FAQ sections outlined as the most important factors for consumers. Nearly half (49%) of respondents said they leave product display pages that have too few customer ratings and reviews.