Word of mouth is crucial to success in the tablet market
Catherine Borrel, digital consultant at GfK NOP on the need to create positive user experiences in order to claw back Apple’s tablet market share.
The internet has become embedded in purchase journey by offering the consumer a wealth of information for almost any product category, and by putting the consumer in control of which sources to consult as they select which products to buy and where to make their purchase.
GfK has conducted an innovative study into the consumer purchase journey for a tablet PC which highlights the pivotal role played by word of mouth recommendations, particularly in the online environment, during every stage of the decision-making process for technology products.
The study, which combines results from online questionnaires, passive internet monitoring software and some tele-depth interviews from a single source panel, shows that growing and leveraging positive user experiences is crucial for tablet brands hoping to win some of the market share which has to date been led by Apple’s iPad.
The importance of reviews
By building a loyal fan base and an army of advocates with a long reach across multiple channels, brands can start to challenge the iPad hegemony.
Such reviewers can be highly influential and brands should look to maximise the opportunity to interrupt and convince buyers of the benefits of their particular product.
Challenger brands are more reliant on user word of mouth spreading positive information about their products, which means these reviews must work hard and have a broad reach.
Generating positive user activity around a less familiar brand can be hugely beneficial for their prospects. The study showed that recommendations from online user reviews were just as powerful as those from friends and family.
Both sources of recommendation were the most widely consulted, way ahead of expert reviews, shop staff and newspapers, and were deemed to be the most influential.
E-retailers lead the way
Naturally, retailers play a huge role in purchase journeys – from inspiring consideration, educating and advising prospective customers, to facilitating the actual purchase.
Amazon currently dominates online activity at each stage of the purchase journey, as customers are confident that they can find the information that they require without leaving the website.
More traditional retailer websites can learn from e-retailers about delivering the types of information people want during their purchase journey.
E-retailers quickly grasped the power of consumer recommendations, compensating for the lack of tangible products for the consumer to touch and feel by providing access to those who have experienced the product and used it in real life situations.
Harnessing the power of recommendation
Brands and retailers across the technology sector can take straightforward steps to ensure that they benefit from the impact that recommendation and positive reviews can make on the purchase decisions of other potential customers.
They must make it easy for their customers to communicate their product choice, using mechanisms as simple as tags on social networks for products just bought. They could provide a platform for reviews and then reward customers for advocacy on those platforms.
Finally they need to be seen to address negative publicity in a positive way. By implementing a comprehensive strategy to build positive customer experiences into a communications plan, players across the technology sector can ensure that they are best placed to challenge their competitors.
About the study
GfK’s Tablet PC Purchase Journey involved over 300 GfK Focus panelists that purchased a tablet.
The panelists were tracked using passive online measurement software, which records the websites and search terms that panelists used when researching and/or buying tablets.
The panellists also completed surveys that covered both online and offline behaviour, and 12 took part in qualitative deep-dives.