• by Ray Schultz , Columnist, March 24, 2022

Consumers worldwide are mostly satisfied with the product information they are getting through different channels. But some feel it could be better, according to Product Experience Satisfaction Around the World, a study released Thursday by Akeneo, a product experience management firm.  

Of the shoppers polled, 95% say the quality of information was good the last time they bought something for at least $100, and 42% say it was very good. 

Yet 70% agree that brands could do more to improve product information, with 49% saying they could do somewhat more and 21% saying totally. Overall, they agree with these statements:

• I find additional information about a product when I look in multiple places — 74%
• Brands could do more to improve product information to support my purchase decision — 70%
• I would cease buying a brand because I lost trust following a bad product information experience — 66%
• I would purchase a different/alternative product than I intended due to a lack of product information — 64%
• I would abandon buying a product/brand due to a bad product information experience from any source — 62%
• I have been so overloaded with product information, it has put me off buying a product — 42%

Email marketers should be relieved: few shoppers found out about a product they bought for $100+ via email. In theory, email can’t be blamed for poor information. 

Of course, email is the only “push” medium on the list, and it is permission-based. Here’s where people found out about new products:

• In-store — 23%
• Online search (Google, etc.) — 19%
• Retailer website — 12%
• Brand website — 11%
• Social media — 11%
• Friends & colleagues — 8%
• Online ads — 7%
• Review site — 4%
• Emailing — 3%
• Billboard — 2%

Besides the price, consumers expect the following information from brands before they spend $100 or more on an item:

• Product description — 53%
• Technical features — 46%
• Consumer/user reviews — 46%
• Comparisons to other products — 39%
• Product images — 39%
• Sales conditions (Price & delivery, return policy) — 35%
• Brand values — 38%
• Videos (Tutorials, product test) — 19%
• Professional or influencer product reviews — 19%
• User guides, manuals — 19%
• Environmental impact/Sustainability credentials — 17%
• Lifestyle content (Pinterest, lookbooks) — 9%

Around a third were satisfied with the information provided in most of these areas. Social, search and in-store were the best sources of input in most cases.  

What do consumers want from retailers? They expect these services as part of the customer experience:

• Offer free delivery — 47%
• Easy return process — 41%
• Easily find the product you are looking for — 36%
• Have all products in stock in-store and online — 35%
• Provide a wide choice — 35%
• Ability to compare products — 32%
• Offer quick delivery options — 28%
• Provide quantitative product information — 22%
• Provide access to relevant user reviews online — 22%
• Provide qualitative pictures and videos online — 21%
• Provide access to manuals — 20%
• Benefits from a personalized advice (sales advisors) — 18%
• Suggest a personalized customer experience — 13%
• Provide access to social media reviews — 12%
• Provide access to social media content about the product/brand — 10%
• Provide inspiring lifestyle content that showcases brand values — 10%

Here’s one more detail:  87% of consumers have researched products online before buying in a store, up 6% over 2021. 

Akeneo surveyed 1,800 consumers in Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the United States from January 28 to February 8, 2022. A similar study was conducted last year.