What do consumers think of product information delivered on retailers’ owned channels vs. third party marketplaces?

When making online buying decisions, U.S. shoppers now place more value on product information delivered on retailers’ owned channels, compared to third-party channels, such as marketplaces or social media, the latest research from Intellias, a software engineering and digital consultancy company, reveals.

Original research of over 1,000 U.S. shoppers by Intellias showed that over half (54%) use retailers’ websites as their primary source of product information when making a purchase, compared to just 16% who rely on product information served on 3rd party marketplaces.  A further 34% of consumers head in-store to ‘showroom’, checking out the product information available at the shelf-edge or in bricks-and-mortar settings before buying online, and another three in ten (29%) rely on information available on retailers’ apps.

The survey found that half (50%) would trust social media channels, including Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and X, for product information when making a purchase. Facebook is the predominant social platform trusted to deliver product information (20%), followed by TikTok (13%). However, Gen Z index much higher on the TikTok channel compared to other age demographics, rising to 35% who use the platform in product discovery buying phases. Meanwhile, User-Generated Content, such as customer ratings and reviews, was another important source of product information for a quarter (25%) of shoppers.

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While price remained the top piece of information shoppers seek in product discovery, over a quarter (28%) now want access to ethical and sustainable sourcing information and carbon emissions associated with a product before making their buying decision.

This growing demand for more accessible sustainability information within the path to purchase underscores the move towards Digital Product Passports. DPPs capture information about a product’s sustainability—from its composition, manufacturing processes and supply chain impact to its carbon footprint, emissions and recyclability—allowing consumers to access product lifecycle information via QR or barcodes. 

Alexander Goncharuk, vice president of global retail at Intellias, said, “Our research shows that consumers are already more trusting and more influenced by product information delivered directly via retailers’ owned channels. DPPs offer another trusted channel for shoppers to access product lifecycle data direct from the brand—and what could be more direct than being delivered on the product itself. As retailers roll out DPPs, they will be able to deliver more transparency and authenticity in shoppers’ buying journeys at a time when consumers are increasingly environmentally conscious and ethically motivated in their purchasing patterns.”

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