British shoppers ‘may avoid buying from brands outside of the UK post-Brexit’

Brexit confusion over tax increases, delivery times and data ownership could stop British consumers making international purchases after 31st October 2019, according to new research.

The research, from marketing automation firm Pure360, finds that nearly a third of British consumers will expect brands to make the country of origin clear for the items they are buying online, to avoid paying additional taxes on their purchases.

Key findings from the study include:

Supporting British brands will be at the forefront of the minds of 24% of British shoppers

A third of British consumers will expect brands to make the country of origin clear for items they are buying online, to avoid paying additional taxes on purchases

25% want more clarity on the country of origin to avoid potentially longer delivery times after Brexit

74% will buy from the supplier that provides an easier process

Reviews important for helping consumers choose one brand over another

The study, which surveyed 2000 British consumers, also highlighted that a quarter want clarity from brands on the country of origin for products they are buying after Brexit, in order to avoid the longer delivery times that could be associated with purchasing items from outside of the UK.

The same proportion (25%) expects brands to provide this level of clarity around products as they are unclear what the regulations will be surrounding their personal data after 31st October. For 24%, supporting the growth of British brands will be at the forefront of their minds once Britain leaves the EU, so they expect brands to be clear on country of origin to help in their purchase decisions.

The findings also reveal the other factors that are influential in a consumer’s decision to choose one brand over another. Almost three quarters (74%) of shoppers will buy from the supplier that provides an easier process, whilst just over two thirds (67%) will be more influenced in their decision by the supplier that has reviews.

Additional factors that will drive a consumer to make a purchase from one brand over another include:

Loyalty and rewards: almost two thirds (61%) of consumers find loyalty and rewards influential in their decision to choose one supplier over the other
No obligation offers: over half (56%) of consumers are influenced to purchase by no obligation offers, whilst a similar proportion (53%) are more likely to buy from brands that give offers of a free trial or trial at home deals
Detail: a similar percentage (52%) find longer form content more influential, compared with 39% of consumers, who are more influenced by brands that use short-form content

Komal Helyer, VP of Marketing at Pure360 comments: “Evidently, the magnitude of the uncertainty surrounding Brexit is going to have an impact on consumers buying habits and could see many shoppers move away from buying from abroad. Concerns around tax increases, lengthy delivery and the regulations for personal data are all factors that shoppers will be considering as part of their purchase decisions after 31st October. For British brands and suppliers, there is a significant opportunity to build trust and deeper relationships with consumers through providing clarity around products, customer reviews, reward and above all a seamless experience that is relevant for that particular customer.”

Methodology

The research was conducted by Censuswide an independent market research consultancy, with a nationally representative sample of 2,000 British adults between 12.08.2019 and 14.08.2019. Censuswide abide by and employ members of the Market Research Society. All survey panellists are double