If a UK consumer is going to spend big, an online marketplace is where they’re most likely to do it. According to the latest research from product experience company, Akeneo, purchases over £90 tend to be searched for (24% of respondents) on marketplaces, used for price and promotions (26%) and as comparison sites (28%). Similar numbers use these sites to leave reviews (26%) or look for advice (21%).
When it comes to completing the purchase, nearly a third (30%) will buy from an online marketplace – markedly more than would go to the brand’s own site to purchase (6%).
“This peak season has confirmed what our research already shows; for UK shoppers, marketplaces are the default shop window, comparison engine, review hub and checkout,” says Romain Fouache, CEO at Akeneo. “If your product information and brand story do not show up clearly and consistently on marketplaces, you are invisible for a big share of high-value purchases. Marketplaces are where shoppers go to stress test their decisions. They’re comparing alternatives, checking specs and dimensions, weighing up delivery promises and reading real user feedback. If your marketplace presence is weak, inconsistent or incomplete, you’re effectively handing those customers to competitors.”
eak revenue suffers due to a persistent product information gap across channels. 63% of UK consumers have abandoned a significant purchase in the last 12 months because information was missing or inaccurate. 70% would switch to a different product than they originally intended due to a lack of product information while 68% would stop buying from a brand after a bad product information experience. “In a world where AI agents and LLMs will increasingly replace search in guiding shoppers to the right products, being invisible on marketplaces means you may not exist at all for these new discovery engines,” Fouache warns.
