A survey by An Post indicates that 64 per cent of buying decisions made by 16-24 year olds are based on a recommendation, content or ads from an influencer or celebrity they follow on social media. The same age cohort is also spending the most online with 21 per cent having outlays of over €100 per online order which is above the 18 per cent average recorded for all adults, the first An Post eCommerce Index by Behaviour & Attitudes reveals.
The report says that 46 per cent of 16-24 year-olds have an ongoing subscription to an online retail service – compared to 24 per cent for all adults – with clothing, footwear and beauty products among the most popular subs. The index shows that 43 per cent of consumers aged between 25 and 34 made purchases on the basis of influencer recommendations. A quarter of all consumers have sold items online and four in five plan to do so again.
Garrett Bridgeman (above), managing director, An Post Commerce, said ecommerce was not just a trend, but amounted to a shift that has reshaped the way we live, work and do business. In today’s digital world, and particularly since the pandemic, ecommerce has emerged as a driving force behind economic growth and job creation. ‘Phygital’, the seamless blend of physical and digital retail experience, is now a consumer reality.
The index was based on interviews with 1,504 consumers and 366 SMEs in April and May.
