Consumers can be super picky about shopping. Some will spend hours looking for the right deal, only to back out at the last-minute because of shipping costs.
Others won’t even consider a product unless it’s accumulated enough positive ratings and reviews—or unless their closest confidants personally recommend it.
A majority of US internet users said they primarily trust their friends, family or colleagues for shopping recommendations, according to February 2019 data from Oracle. Gen Z respondents, which Oracle defines as 18- to 24-year-olds, are more likely to do so than older cohorts—but not by much.
Putting that into perspective, US internet users trust their inner circle for recommendations more than they'd trust an employee in a store, fellow online consumer or influencer.