Retail Strategy & Planning SeriesAccurate Product Content Influences 87% Of Shopper Decisions Featured
Retailers aiming to generate more store traffic should focus on sharing all the information they possibly can with shoppers: 87% of consumers say accurate, rich and complete product content is very important when deciding what to buy, according to Salsify.
These consumers don’t just want a sliver of content before they buy. Up to 70% of shoppers must see at least three product images, and 86% want to read at least three product reviews before purchasing a product.
Content needs to be not just rich but also accurate. Inaccurate product content can lead to costly returns and customer churn — 50% of shoppers have returned an item they bought online because it did not match the product description. This isn’t good for business in the long run, as 54% of those who returned items are less likely to buy from that vendor again.
Although consumers desire content prior to making a purchase, most would rather seek it out themselves. While 77% of shoppers use a mobile devicewhile shopping in-store, only 35% of shoppers want to speak to a store associate if they have a question in a store.
Shoppers say the chief reason they use their phone is to compare prices with competitors. But these consumers also consider searching for product reviews and product information as the second- and third-most important reasons to use mobile throughout the shopper journey.
Brands and retailers have a tremendous opportunity to win sales by optimizing their product data, not only within their stores and on their sites but on Google as well. A majority of shoppers (87%) begin shopping on either Amazon or Google, but while only 4% of consumers who start on Amazon will buy somewhere else, 38% who start a search on Google will buy from a different retailer.
