69% Of Britons Influenced By Friends And Family On Purchases

It’s in people’s nature to search for a second opinion when choosing a good dentist, a nice restaurant or a manicurist, for example. It also turns out that Britons rely on their families or friends most when planning purchases; receiving recommendations like this on a new product would make 68% of UK consumers more likely to buy it, according to a report from marketing specialist Nielsen.

The analysts offered consumers with Internet access in 58 countries the chance to select between 21 various factors that influence their buying decisions. They found that 66% of Britons, in particular, would purchase a product if they see it in a store, another 59% would be tempted to shop if they receive a free sample, 59% rely on searches on the Internet and 49% learn about new products from TV commercials.

On a global scale, TV ads are those that impact consumers’ buying decisions the most, as identified by 59% of the 29,000 people surveyed.

As to new products, and by new product Nielsen means any item not purchased in the past, 59% of Britons are more likely to decide to turn to a new brand and shun their favourite vendor, which is above the global average of 50%. Over 50% of UK consumers would not consider buying an innovative new item unless they are convinced of its quality. Another 40% claimed that they would rather purchase from a domestic brand than from a bigger global one.

The survey also found that when looking to buy new electronics, 70% of Britons feel most influenced by the Internet. Nearly two-thirds of people count on the Internet when shopping for new appliances, 60% feel its impact when buying books, 55% when choosing music and 51% when purchasing a car.