Despite the booming influencer marketing landscape, American consumers exhibit a strong inclination to conduct independent research before committing to a purchase based on a social media recommendation. This highlights a nuanced dynamic where influencer endorsements hold some sway but are rarely the sole determinant of consumer spending decisions.
According to a recent report from PYMNTS, based on a survey of 3,196 U.S. consumers conducted in January, over half of U.S. consumers (56%) make an influencer-recommended purchase at least once a year, with 12% doing so frequently (more than six times annually).
Younger generations, particularly Generation Z (80%) and millennials (72%), are more likely than Generation X (58%) and baby boomers (28%) to engage in such purchases.
High-income consumers are also more likely to buy based on recommendations compared to lower-income shoppers. Interestingly, the report noted that nearly half of shoppers (44%) return items purchased based on an influencer’s recommendation less frequently than other purchases, a tendency especially pronounced among baby boomers (59%).
However, the research underscores that while influencers may initiate interest, they are often just one touchpoint in the consumer journey. A striking 95% of consumers who have made an influencer-recommended purchase typically undertake additional research beforehand. This supplementary investigation frequently involves checking multiple alternative information sources.
The most common research methods include reading customer reviews on product websites, exploring online forums, comparing prices across different platforms, and visiting manufacturer websites. Even consumers who frequently buy based on influencer recommendations still largely rely on other research methods, although they are more likely than occasional buyers to consult multiple influencers or ask family and friends.
Gen Z is the generation most likely to make an influencer-recommended purchase, with 80% doing so at least once a year, compared to just 28% of baby boomers.
Among consumers who have bought based on an influencer, 95% typically perform other research before purchasing. Reading customer reviews is the most common research method, used by 47% of these consumers.
Amid shoppers who return influencer-recommended items less often than other purchases, baby boomers are the most likely to do so, with 59% reporting this behavior.
Beyond these headline findings, the report offers insights into the types of influencers driving purchases and surprising generational behavior regarding impulse buys. Food and cooking influencers are the most trusted for product recommendations (47%) and most often drive purchases overall (19%), though technology influencers lead for frequent influencer buyers.
Contrary to potential assumptions, older consumers demonstrate a higher propensity for impulsive purchases based on a first-time encounter with an influencer. Three in 10 baby boomers and 27% of Gen X consumers are open to buying from an influencer on their initial exposure, a higher rate than younger demographics. Home and lifestyle influencers, followed by beauty/makeup and food/cooking, appear to be the categories with the highest potential to spark these first-encounter impulse purchases.
