UK shoppers default to large retailers, missing savings, survey shows
Idealo's survey of over 2,000 UK online shoppers found that 67% default to large online marketplaces or standard search engines out of habit. Although 91% of respondents research before buying and 84% of those compare prices, just 8% begin their search on a dedicated price comparison platform.
Nearly three-quarters (72%) of shoppers use price comparison sites mainly or only for expensive, considered purchases, while only 13% rely on them for everyday shopping. Trust in price comparison sites stands at 71%, far higher than the 31% trust in social media deals and influencer recommendations, with 37% actively distrusting influencer claims. Three-quarters (75%) of shoppers say they would find it easier to compare prices online for at least one product category, citing mobile phones (32%), electronics (31%) and groceries (30%) as top areas. Only 43% of shoppers trust that Black Friday discounts are genuine price reductions, with just 10% trusting them completely and 27% actively distrusting them. The team at shopping comparison site Idealo surveyed over 2,000 UK online shoppers to find out how people research and compare prices when shopping online.
“Rethinking how we start our online product research can completely transform household shopping budgets. By switching from default browsing habits to independent comparison, consumers spend less time searching and more money saving,” Katy Phillips, Senior Brand & Communications Manager, idealo said.
What we know
67% of UK shoppers default to major online marketplaces or standard search engines out of habit.
91% of UK online shoppers research before they buy.
84% of those who research compare prices before making a purchase.
Just 8% of shoppers currently use a dedicated price comparison platform as their primary research starting point.
Nearly three-quarters (72%) of UK online shoppers use price comparison sites mainly or only for expensive, considered purchases.