• by Ray Schultz , June 29, 2021

Price is the single biggest factor in consumer purchase decisions, and it is also the biggest turnoff when changes occur, according to Part 2 of The State Of Personal Commerce, a study by Bluecore.

There are lessons here for email marketers planning ecommerce campaigns.

Of the shoppers polled, 57% say price has the greatest impact when buying. The other considerations are recommendations (20%), necessity (16%) and brand (7%). 

Price is the main driver for 59% of Gen Z respondents, 55% of millennials, 55% of Gen Xers and 53% of boomers.

But millennials are more affected by recommendations than other groups, with 26% citing them.  

Generation X & Y (age 34-55) are more impacted by brand than others, with 16% specifying it. And 26% boomers say purchases are driven by necessity.   

Of all shoppers, 36% say discounts have the greatest impact on buying decisions. But 64% are more influenced by other features, including relevant product recommendations (30%), timing of communications (24%) and engaging content (10%). Content and subject lines rank lowest.  

Gen Z is most motivated by timing of the communication (38%), millennials and Gen X & Y by relevant product recommendations (35% and 34% respectively) and boomers are most swayed when discounts or promotions are enclosed (52%).   

The primary causes of excitement for the last purchase are:   

• Price — 30% 
• Deal — 25% 
• Product — 24%
• Certainty — 10% 
• Experience — 8% 
• Speed of arrival — 2% 

Despite all that, consumers will end their relationship with a brand because of the following: 

• Change in prices — 37%
• Scandal/bad publicity — 29%
• Involvement (or lack thereof) in political/social issues — 25%
• Too many irrelevant digital communications — 5%
• Other — 4% 

Bluecore surveyed 522 U.S. shoppers during the first quarter.