Sources UK Online Shoppers Used To Research Products, December 2013 [CHART]

Chart - Sources UK Online Shoppers Used To Research Products

Facebook and Twitter users were more favorably inclined to retailers on social sites—but not by much. Around one-third (33%) of Facebookers trusted a retailer more if it had a social network presence, yet 55% said it made them trust a retailer less. Among Twitter users, 52% said social activity diminished their trust in a merchant, while 37% said it raised it.

One reason for these views is that many UK web users don’t see much purpose in combining their social activity with shopping or buying. Only 10% of respondents consulted social networks when researching potential purchases, compared with 60% who looked at customer reviews on a retailer’s website and 48% who visited comparison sites. Overall, 42% of respondents said that the point of social networks was to keep up with friends and family, not to shop. Read the rest at eMarketer.