Consumer Trends Report | Q2 2022

Quarterly changes in consumer behavior

This quarterly study of 1,000 U.S. consumers explores spending and ecommerce trends, with key insights into how social media, brand loyalty and a sluggish U.S. economy are shaping retail in 2022.

Key Insights

Social media content — and internet advertising — is influencing consumer purchases and their overall opinions of brands and products.

Rising inflation is impacting spending habits for three out of four consumers, and affordability is increasingly driving brand and shopping preferences.

Two out of three U.S. consumers shop on Amazon, and most are loyal Prime members. Low product pricing is the top reason people choose Amazon.

Spotlight on social media: The ecommerce influencers

Nearly half (48%) of consumers read social media comments to learn what’s being said about a brand, and 35% have purchased a product after watching a social media brand’s livestream, but trustworthiness varies by platform.

Most trusted social media platforms for finding and purchasing products*

*Total percentage of respondents that find the channel either very or somewhat trustworthy for finding and purchasing products

When it comes to advertising:

42%

of consumers say being “followed” around the internet by ads is helpful

32%

are “creeped out” by the tactic

45% of consumers think it’s important for brands to respond to social media comments

45% of consumers think it’s important for brands to respond to social media comments

Explore how consumer behavior has changed over time.

View past reports

Brand loyalty is increasingly driven by affordability

As inflation continues to rise and household incomes remain mostly stagnant, the percentage of consumers who would switch from their favorite brand if a new brand was more affordable increased 12% quarter-over-quarter.

Top 5 reasons consumers would switch from their favorite brand

Favorite brand is unavailable/out of stock

New brand is more affordable

Favorite brand changes its product(s)

New brand offers higher-quality products

Became dissatisfied with favorite brand

Nearly half of consumers (48%) said their favorite brand’s consistently lower prices is a key reason for shopping with them.

Top 5 categories in which consumers are most likely to try a new brand*

*Percent of consumers who made a purchase from a new brand in this category in the past year; as respondents could select multiple categories, these percentages do not total 100%.

Amazon and Prime: Overall savings attracts loyal shoppers

Among the 56% of survey respondents with access to an Amazon Prime account, nearly 90% are likely to keep it for another year. 45% said the recent cost increase for Prime membership doesn’t bother them.

Where consumers are shopping online in Q2

Amazon remains the most popular online retailer, and product pricing is the #1 reason consumers choose to shop there.

Download the full report

In this report, you’ll find:

A pulse check on consumer spending: where people are shopping in-store and online and what they’re buying as the third pandemic-era summer approaches
An overview of influences on consumer spending, brand loyalty and product preferences, with a spotlight on social media and a sluggish U.S. economy
Insights into consumer behavior around ecommerce product ratings and reviews

About the report

Methodology

Between May 6 and May 10, 2022, Jungle Scout conducted an anonymous survey of 1,000 U.S. consumers about their buying preferences and behaviors. Respondents represented 48 U.S. states, all genders and ages 18 to 75+ as well as varying employment types and income levels.

Respondents were asked questions about their behaviors and spending for the second quarter (April, May and June) of 2022. Some of the analysis in the report compares responses from this survey to previous consumer trends surveys conducted by Jungle Scout, where data has been collected on a quarterly basis since June 2020.

Using the data

We invite you to explore Jungle Scout’s Q2 2022 Consumer Trends Report, and to share, reference and publish the findings with attribution to “Jungle Scout” and a link to this page.

For more information, specific data requests or media assets or to reach the report’s authors, please contact us at [email protected].

About Jungle Scout

Jungle Scout is the leading all-in-one platform for ecommerce sellers, supporting more than $40 billion in annual Amazon revenue. Founded in 2015 as the first Amazon product research tool, Jungle Scout today features a full suite of best-in-class business management solutions and powerful market intelligence resources to help entrepreneurs and brands manage their ecommerce businesses. Jungle Scout is headquartered in Austin, Texas, and supports 10 global Amazon marketplaces.