New survey reveals Gen Z shoppers prefer the phone for complex purchases

A recent survey of British shoppers has found that a majority of people prefer to talk on the phone rather than go online to get more information about complex purchases. Perhaps most surprising of all, more 16-24 year olds (32%) prefer to pick up the phone to discuss a purchase than 35-44 year olds (24%). This suggests a trend away from online communication and towards phone interaction, surprisingly led by Generation Z.

The survey, carried out by Mediahawk, asked 2,000 people of all ages across the UK about purchasing habits and preferred means of seeking information about intended purchases. One of the key findings was that 60% of respondents want the option to speak to someone on the phone if they need to discuss complex, personal or expensive purchases, with less than 10% disagreeing. Furthermore, 45% of respondents find it quicker to call a company to discuss something in more detail, with only 15% taking the opposite view.

The results are evenly split between genders, however, they do reveal regional differences. For instance, Northern Ireland came out as the top region to prefer using the phone to gather more information; in Newcastle, just over half of users (52%) prefer the Internet to answer their questions before purchase; whilst the Welsh proved themselves to be the most independent, as the majority (39%) would not use any contact methods at all to get more information before their purchasing.

Mediahawk, a leading provider of call tracking software and solutions, has recently launched an improved and refreshed interface that makes phone call tracking, reporting and analysing as easy and intuitive as tracking customers’ online movements. It’s an essential tool for marketers that struggle to join the dots between the adverts they place and resulting phone calls.

Michael Morrell, CEO of Mediahawk, said:

“This survey has found that while many people want to do as much self-service as they can online, there are just some things in life that are easier and quicker to find out in a discussion with a human being. Businesses that offer complex, expensive, or personal products and services often experience a high volume of phone calls from prospects prior to purchase. These businesses have extremely detailed reports to measure their online enquiries and sales, but often neglect applying the same technology to the phone and so any analysis is based on guesswork.

At Mediahawk, we ensure our partners can make data driven decisions to improve conversions, reduce costs, optimise investment and uncover new opportunities for business growth.”