Study: Consumers have trouble finding trending products in stores
Social platforms are increasingly popular for discovering products that have gone viral, but consumers aren't in a big rush when it comes to actually purchasing the items.
New research from Relex Solutions found that while 84% of consumers purchase trending products they discover on social platforms, only 11% purchase the items within 24 hours. More than half (55%) take up to a month to finally make the purchase, suggesting thoughtful consideration over impulse buying.
While social discovery is high, 68% consumers need to check between two and four stores before finding trending items in stock at all, with only 12% finding products at their first store visit. Nineteen percent of consumers give up searching altogether if they can't find a product immediately.
Price (56%) and store convenience (42%) significantly outweigh trend-specific features like a store’s track record of stocking trending items (27%) and dedicated sections for trending products or the staff knowledge of viral products (both 18%) when selecting where to buy. To win viral product sales, retailers should therefore look at cost-efficiency, transparency, and accessibility, noted Relex.
Facebook (25%) led in terms of the platforms most influential on consumers’ purchase decisions, but TikTok remained a challenger at 21% with Instagram close behind (20%). YouTube came in at 16% and Pinterest trailed at just 3%.
In the consumer survey, a majority (43%) of 18-29 year olds favored TikTok for product discovery, while 30-44 year olds preferred Instagram (29%) and Facebook (23%). Facebook led for both 45-60 year olds (28%) as well as those 60+ (34%).
In surveying 20 major and medium-sized retailers and brands on-site at NRF Big Show this year, Relex Solutions found that nearly two-thirds (65%) of retailers reported experiencing viral product-related stockouts. Nearly half (45%) cited inventory carrying costs as their biggest profitability challenge with viral products, while the same percentage (45%) said it takes them more than a week to respond to viral demand spikes.
“There’s clearly an existing gap between social discovery, physical availability, and fulfillment,” said Dr. Madhav Durbha, group VP of CPG and manufacturing at Relex Solutions. “But what our data also underscores is that ensuring consistent availability across the extended purchase consideration window rather than simply chasing viral moments will be what drives long-term success for businesses.”
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Relex Solutions' research is based on a poll of 1,012 consumers across the United States.
