1 December 2015 - Data released today highlights the lengths consumers are going to find the brand, bargain or product they want, and the challenge that poses to retailers. According to Connected Life, a study of over 60,000 connected consumers across 50 countries from global research consultancy TNS, Chinese consumers are some of the smartest shoppers globally, with nearly nine in ten (88%) carrying out some form of research before making a purchase, compared to 84% worldwide.
Chinese shoppers are equally likely to do pre-purchase research offline (72%) than online (70%), holding stores and screens in equal regard when trying to find the brand, bargain or product they want, unlike many other countries where either offline or online research dominate. The data shows little difference in the amount of pre-purchase research by age group in China: 16-24 year olds consult approximately four (3.7) pieces of information pre-purchase, compared to 3.5 sources for those aged 55-65.