By Pat Hong from As businesses, consumer markets, and technology platforms, around the world become more connected, and with retailers expanding the scale and potential of their international activities, increasingly brands are not only competing within their own territories but in a global arena, where consumers compare and evaluate decisions against a benchmark of the very best.
Lithium Technologies, in partnership with Harris Poll, have conducted a survey of 6,100 online adults in countries ranging from the United States, Great Britain, Australia, France, and Germany, questioning them on a wide array of topics regarding their online actions, behaviors, and attitudes. The survey revealed unique insights into what consumers from different regions expect from their online experiences, and what they expect from the brands they look to.
From a global perspective, the survey uncovered significant differences among global populations. It revealed that the expectations of an American consumer, for example, are different to those of a French consumer. However, as the practice of online retailers becomes more globalized, the trend highlights a need for brands to develop a business offering inline with consumers’ high expectations.
Rob Tarkoff, President and CEO of Lithium gave the following comment in a press release:
“We wanted to gauge how digital business has changed the ways consumers interact with brands, and explore how those behaviors differ across geographical and cultural borders. We’re living in an age of extreme expectations. Our survey provides insights that brands can use to improve their customer approaches to stay relevant among increasingly sophisticated and demanding consumers.”
Here’s an overview of some key insights from the report.
Online research is the norm among consumers globally before making big purchases
- Online research is the most important resource among consumers globally in preparation for making big purchases.
- The majority of online consumers visit an average of three sites before making high-ticket purchases such as jewelry, kitchen appliances, or new car, etc.
- French consumers spend the most amount of time conducting online research, visiting an average of 3.52 sites before making a purchase.
- American consumers on the other hand do the least online research, visiting an average of just 2.3 sites before making a purchase.
- Younger consumers (aged 18–44) across all countries, tend to visit more sites than those aged 45 and older.
- There is a clear trend toward consumers doing a great deal of “research before purchase” in favor of “impulse purchasing.”
A majority of consumers will only call a toll-free number for customer service as the last resort
- Approximately two-thirds of American, British, and Australian consumers (67, 67, and 64 percent respectively) consider picking up the phone to contact customer service as a last resort. Consumers consider even a toll-free number for customer service as a undesirable means of communication, preferring to use other channels to resolve issues.
- In European countries, 73 percent of French adults consider using the phone for customers as a last resort, but the picture was much different in Germany, with a surprising 46 percent of Germans sharing the view.
- Across all countries, younger consumers (aged 18–44) were significantly much more reluctant to use the phone to contact customer services for help of any sort.
- Instead, consumers expect brand websites to provide all the information they could possibly need to answer their questions, resolve issues, or discover more about the products and services they are interested in.
Consumers go online to praise as well as complain
- Only a small percentages of American, French, and German consumers (39, 34, 27 percent respectively) post online reviews to complain about a product or service rather than to praise it, with consumers preferring to create online reviews when they’ve had a positive experience.
- Findings revealed that positive “word of mouth” recommendations were still the most influential form of marketing.
Positive “word of mouth” still proves to be the most influential form of marketing
- Around three-quarters of American, British, and French consumers (73, 76, and 72 percent respectively) stated that they wouldn’t buy something that didn’t have positive online reviews.
- The feeling was slightly less pronounced among Germans and Australians with 62 and 68 percent of consumers stating that they wouldn’t buy something that didn’t have positive online reviews.
- An incredible 85 percent of British consumers aged 25–34 stated that they wouldn’t buy something without positive reviews.
- More than two-thirds of American, British, French, and Australian consumers (68, 69, 67, 67 percent respectively) said they were most receptive to recommendations on what to buy from family and friends online, rather than online advertising.
Consumers heavily rely on recommendations from family and friends on purchase decisions
- In Germany the sentiment was even higher with a staggering 78 percent of German consumers agreeing that they placed most value on recommendations from family and friends.
- Across all countries surveyed, more than 70 percent of younger consumers (aged 18–34) stated that they were more receptive to the recommendations of friends and family over online advertising.
Consumers want “instant gratification” from online customer service
- About two-thirds of American, British, and French consumers (66, 67, and 66 percent respectively) expect a response to their enquiries on the same day, when reaching out to a company to troubleshoot a product malfunction or service issue.
- American, French, and Australian consumers are the most impatient – with more than 40 percent of respondents saying they expected a response within just one hour!
New Precedents For Customer Expectations
The report singled out a growing expectation from consumers for “instant gratification” in customer service and the resolution of complaints. The same also applies to content and information provided by sites as a means of providing answers for consumers.
Today’s consumers are empowered with near unlimited amounts of useful information, more choice, and more ways to engage and interact with brands. It has given rise to a generation of digitally articulate consumers, who have developed an extremely high level of expectation with regard to what brands are offering.
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