EXCLUSIVE: This video platform triggers the most impulse purchases
New analysis from Adobe Express reveals the impact short-form video platforms have on consumer behavior.
Three-in-eight surveyed U.S. and U.K. consumers have bought a product or service after watching a short video about it, according to Adobe Express findings exclusively released to Chain Store Age. Respondents made 20% of these impulse buys within an hour of viewing the content and 51% said TikTok is their primary video platform trigger for impulse purchases. Nearly one in four said video content viewed on TikTok spurred them to make a purchase within just three minutes.
More than eight-in-10 (84%) respondents said these platforms influence at least one of their buying decisions each week. Looking at variations by income level, Adobe found that video influence on purchases was most significant among those earning under $30,000 annually (91%) and least among those with incomes above $80,000 (78%).
Short-form videos’ influence on impulse buying also varied by region, but 56% of U.K. respondents and 43% of respondents in the U.S. named TikTok as their top impulse buy influencer.
U.S. findings
Respondents in the U.S. have spent an average of $34 per impulse buy influenced by short-form content. Their platform-specific spending was as follows:
- Facebook: $47
- TikTok: $35
- Instagram: $31
- YouTube: $30
The products respondents in the U.S. have purchased most often in these situations included:
- Clothing (38%)
- Skincare (30%)
- Makeup (27%)
- Hair products (24%)
- Home decor (19%)
Generational and gender-specific findings
On average, Gen Z respondents spent nearly 22 days (528 hours) on TikTok per year. Gen Z respondents also overwhelmingly favored TikTok over other platforms for short-form video, with 58% choosing it as their preferred platform.
In comparison, baby boomers preferred YouTube videos the most, (55%), although TikTok was the preferred platform for short-form video content across generations, with a 32% preference among all users, closely followed by YouTube and Instagram.
Examining gender preferences, the study found that men are 144% more likely than women to prefer YouTube, while women are 54% more likely than men to favor TikTok.
[READ MORE: EXCLUSIVE: Adobe survey reveals Gen Z's marketing content preferences]
Favored short-form video content types
Content types most frequently watched on platforms covered by the study included:
- Comedy (sketches, pranks, etc.) at 50%
- Entertainment (movie clips and trailers, etc.) at 44%
- Animals and pets at 42%
- Lifestyle, vlogging, and personal stories at 36%
- Memes (viral trends, challenges, etc.) at 35%
- DIY (home improvement tips, craft tutorials, etc.) at 35%
- Food and restaurant reviews at 34%
To create this study, Adobe Express analyzed global search trends (based on search volume) for TikTok, Facebook Reels and Shorts, YouTube Shorts, and Instagram Reels and Shorts to determine the interest in each platform globally and in the 50 most populated cities in the U.S.
Adobe Express also surveyed 1,006 users of these platforms (51% from the U.S. and 49% from the U.K.) about their platform preferences, the amount of time they dedicate to using each platform, and how the content they view influences their purchasing decisions.
