Consumer priorities may vary depending on individual preferences, needs and situations. However, according to the "Shopping preferences online" report conducted by SW Research for Allegro¹, cost and product quality are the most important factors considered when shopping online regardless of the value of the item being purchased.

Price is the aspect that has gained the most importance among consumers over the past year, as indicated by nearly half of respondents (45%). What's more, as many as 86% of respondents say they spend money more carefully than they used to. For products up to PLN 50, discounts and other price deals are also indicated as being important. The cost of delivery is mentioned for products in the price range from PLN 50 to 150. In the case of the most expensive products (over PLN 150), also trust and opinions about the selected platform and product brand are considered to be essential.

Price remains one of the main factors influencing purchase choices regardless of category. It is the price that consumers are most often guided by when buying clothing and footwear (46%) and electronics (45%). This is also the case for purchases in supermarket categories such as groceries and cleaning products, as well as for beauty-related products. Currently, the Polish consumers prefer a frugal approach, as confirmed by as many as 76% of respondents, who admit that they have recently reduced their spending. Nevertheless, this is not saving at the expense of quality - this method is indicated as the least popular. In contrast, the most common way to save money when shopping online is by comparing prices and choosing the best deals (65%).

Respondents primarily compare product prices when the product is expensive (50%) or when it includes a discount and they want to make sure if it is the most cost effective option possible (47%). More than half of respondents say they compare prices more often now than they used to (53%). The Best Price Guarantee campaign is part of this trend, significantly reducing the time consumers have to spend searching for the best deals, as it is the Allegro platform that compares prices for them. This includes more than 600,000 offers in various categories - from everyday products to fashion, automotive, sports and electronics - which can be found on a special campaign page. The platform compares prices with other selected online stores (the list of stores is available under this link) and honors the lowest-cost offers with the Best Price Guarantee badge. If the customer finds a cheaper offer among the stores listed in the terms & conditions of the offer and reports it to Allegro within 72 hours of purchasing a product on the platform, they are eligible for a refund equivalent to the price difference plus as much as 50%. Such a coupon can be used within 30 days while shopping on Allegro. The maximum refund value during a single edition of the special offer is PLN 200.

According to the survey, as many as 28% of respondents say that key factors considered when making online purchases have changed over the past year. Who do we trust when shopping? Opinions are of great importance - 44.3% of respondents say that friends' opinions influence which stores they shop at.

The report indicates changes in the preferences of consumers, for whom price and quality are the two most important foundations when making purchasing decisions today. In order to respond to the needs and expectations of buyers, the e-commerce market is constantly evolving and offering new conveniences to customers, such as the Best Price Guarantee introduced by Allegro.