Consumer research is the practice of studying and analyzing consumer preferences, attitudes, motivations, and buying behaviors. It helps understand your target audience, identify market opportunities, and develop effective marketing strategies.
That’s the theory, but what is the practice?
Let’s check it out.
If you want to learn the secrets of how to conduct consumer research, especially in the DACH region, this article is for you.
Today, you will learn:
- Why consumer research is so powerful
- Why you should understand your customers in the DACH region
- What are the characteristics of the consumer in the Q4 of 2024 (and not only)
- Top consumer trends to watch in Germany
- And how to conduct the right consumer research in your company
We will work with insights from Ecommerce Pulse Report: Q4 2024, among others, so let’s start.
Why is consumer research so powerful?
Consumer research is vital for every company due to several reasons.
First and foremost – it gains insights into what consumers want. As a result, you can develop your offers, meet customer needs, and increase sales.
But that’s not all.
- By identifying different consumer segments, you can tailor your strategies to specific groups and conduct more effective targeting.
- Based on research findings, you can make data-driven decisions about your products and services, marketing campaigns, pricing, and distribution channels.
- Understanding consumer behavior can give you a competitive edge, as you respond more effectively to market changes and consumer trends.
- Insights from consumer research can enhance the overall customer experience and build loyalty and satisfaction.
- Such research reduces risks associated with product launches and marketing strategies by validating concepts and understanding potential challenges before implementation.
- Tracking changes in consumer preferences over time lets you adapt and innovate in line with evolving market dynamics.
Why should you understand your customers in the DACH region?
The answer is simple: because consumers in the DACH region differ in several respects. If you want to reach them, you need to know who they are.
Germans, for instance, strongly prefer purchasing from local brands and are deeply focused on product reliability. This dedication to quality extends across category sectors and often prioritizes brands that can provide both excellence and security.
Austrian consumers show a strong interest in e-commerce and cross-border shopping. Environmental and ethical considerations, like CO2-neutral delivery, are valued and reflect a broader sustainability trend.
Swiss consumers are highly connected and expect clear and effective communication, especially in customer service interactions. Many prefer email as a primary communication channel. They tend to choose local products over imports if the prices are comparable. Additionally, they are characterized by traits such as punctuality, thriftiness, and multilingualism.
Moreover, the DACH consumers are highly digital-savvy.
Here’s a quick overview of the DACH region’s digital landscape, detailing population, internet users, and penetration rates for Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
| Country | Population | Internet Users | Internet Penetration |
| Germany | 84,552,242 | 77.7 million | 93.3% |
| Austria | 9,120,813 | 8.58 million | 95.7% |
| Switzerland | 8,937,061 | 8.74 million | 99.0% |
Sources: Digital 2024: Germany, Digital 2024: Austria, Digital 2024: Switzerland, Woldometer: Germany Population, Woldometer: Austria Population, Woldometer: Switzerland Population (view date: 30.10.2024).
So, to gain a loyal and engaged audience in the region, you need to understand your audience.
And good consumer research will help with that.
Q4 2024 consumer research findings
Now, based on insights contained in the Salsify and Digital Shelf Institute (DSI) report, titled Ecommerce Pulse Report: Q4 2024, and our own research, we’ll go to specifics about consumers. We will highlight shifts in consumer behavior, outline expert insights, and show top insights regarding consumers in the last quarter of 2024.
So, what are the consumer characteristics for Q4?
Evolving shopper intent
As Q4 gains momentum, consumer attitudes are changing. One defining feature is the blend of online and in-store shopping, with nearly 49% of consumers prefer mixing both channels. Such a multi-channel approach broadens the visibility of brands and shops but also demands precise tracking and analytics to capture engagement across all touchpoints. Especially as the holiday season unfolds.
Consumer intent transforms throughout Q4, with early holiday shoppers focused on discounts and later shoppers often driven by immediacy.
Early in the quarter, consumers are often motivated by deals and discounts, actively seeking out bargains and planning ahead. They prioritize value and may engage in extensive research before making purchases. As the holidays approach, consumer intent becomes more immediate. Last-minute shoppers prioritize convenience and speed and often opt for online purchases and expedited shipping. They may be less price-sensitive and more willing to pay a premium for timely delivery.
What should you do?
- Tailor your marketing strategies and optimize offerings to capture the shifting demands of the holiday season.
- Adjust product display pages (PDPs) and campaign timings to align with these shifting motivations.
Lindsey Simcik, Digital Content Sr. Manager at Mars United Commerce, advises monitoring changes in shopper intent to time campaigns more effectively, potentially mid-week rather than on the traditional weekend cadence.
Source: Ecommerce Pulse Report: Q4 2024, the Salsify and Digital Shelf Institute report.
This strategy ensures that consumer engagement is maximized throughout the season.
Partnership prioritization
Partnerships make a difference for customers.
Q4 is a time of heightened consumer expectations. People are seeking unique experiences, adjusted offerings, and seamless delivery. Partnering with complementary businesses can elevate your brand and provide a competitive edge. As a result, you can enhance the customer experience.
Ultimately, strategic partnerships can help you stand out in a crowded marketplace. By combining strengths and resources, you can deliver exceptional value to your customers and achieve remarkable results.
To captivate customers and drive sales, you can:
- Consider collaborating with logistics providers to offer expedited shipping, exclusive gift wrapping, or same-day delivery.
- Think about partnering with innovative tech companies. Then, you will be able to introduce cutting-edge solutions like virtual try-on tools or AI-powered personalized recommendations.
- Additionally, track KPIs like search rank and content performance.
Expert Wayne Duan, Vice President of Alternative Revenue at Constellation Brands, recommends close collaboration with key retail partners. Targeted adjustments with high-value retailers can yield significant business outcomes – even 10% or 15% discounts could achieve an impactful outcome.
Preference for high-quality and innovative products
German consumers are highly responsive to innovative, high-tech products, particularly in sectors like computers, medical devices, automotive technology, and synthetic materials. This market leans toward quality, modern styling, and product reliability over price. Aligning with DACH consumers’ expectations for these areas can strengthen market positioning.
But the Q4 period is also an opportunity to emphasize the longevity and performance of products – two traits that are widely valued in the region.
Strategies for you:
- With the holiday season at its peak, demonstrate modern styling and functionality.
- Brands that will highlight product innovation, technical precision, and quality assurance are well-positioned to capture attention.
- Showing product certifications, awards, or customer testimonials that showcase reliability can enhance brand credibility in this market.
A dominant role for female shoppers
Do you know who holds purchasing power in the household? According to the Salsify report, 93% of primary decision-makers surveyed identify as female. This high percentage aligns with global trends, as women are expected to control 75% of discretionary spending by 2028. This powerful data shows the need for brands to consider female shoppers as key influencers across product categories. Especially within industries such as household goods, healthcare, and fashion.
But that doesn’t mean women make decisions on their own.
For many respondents, their household spouses and partners are the members who have the most influence on their final purchasing decisions. Nor can the influence of children and grandchildren be ignored.
Source: Ecommerce Pulse Report: Q4 2024, the Salsify and Digital Shelf Institute report.
Personalization and shopping frequency
Personalized experiences are not just an enhancement. The better word here is a necessity.
Personalization is like gold for retaining consumers. As many as 37% of shoppers buy more often due to tailored product recommendations. This holds across age groups, with Millennials and Gen Zers leading in preference for custom offers. When implemented effectively, personalization can drive up Average Order Value (AOV) and lead to more frequent purchases – a win for both brands and shoppers.
Source: Ecommerce Pulse Report: Q4 2024, the Salsify and Digital Shelf Institute report.
Strategies to use:
- Personalized product recommendations via segmented email blasts.
- Tailored ads, next to related products on marketplaces.
- Adjusted banners on direct-to-consumer (DTC) sites.
Regional diversity and decentralization
The DACH region embodies a diverse and decentralized market. For instance, Germany itself has notable differences between the northern and southern regions, such as culinary preferences, purchasing behaviors, and attitudes toward products and services. Similarly, Austria and Switzerland each have distinct consumer characteristics.
In Switzerland, for example, language divides among French, German, Romansh and Italian-speaking regions influence consumer identity. This calls for localized brand messaging to ensure it resonates in each linguistic area.
Tips for businesses:
- Instead of applying a uniform strategy across all DACH countries, analyze local habits, regional trends, and consumer expectations to create campaigns that feel more relevant.
- Incorporate local dialects, respect regional festivals, and understand regional purchasing trends if you want to connect with consumers on a deeper level.
This tailored approach can help brands build trust, enhance relevance, and effectively compete with domestic firms that already have a strong foothold in the market.
Enhanced content on product pages
An engaging product page can be the deciding factor between a sale and a missed opportunity. Enhanced content – so it’s “product content that goes beyond the basic parts of a product page” such as feature tours, comparison charts, extensive galleries, and product videos – has become a standard for top-tier ecommerce brands.
Overall, 87% of online shoppers find it helpful, and even 74% of Baby Boomers prefer it.
Source: Ecommerce Pulse Report: Q4 2024, the Salsify and Digital Shelf Institute report.
In DACH markets, where product trust and thorough research are top consumer priorities, such content can build credibility and improve conversion rates.
Data privacy concerns
Personalization is widely appreciated, that’s true, but data privacy still remains a pressing concern for many. The Baby Boomers are the most worried about this – as much as 28% of them expressed hesitation around data usage, showing a strong generational split in trust toward AI-driven recommendations and data collection.
Gen Xers, Millennials, and Gen Zers are less concerned, but still 17%, 17% and 15%, respectively, are paying attention.
Source: Ecommerce Pulse Report: Q4 2024, the Salsify and Digital Shelf Institute report.
In DACH, where privacy regulations are among the strictest, brands must tread carefully, balancing personalization with transparency to retain customer trust.
2025 budget consciousness
The report also predicts that 69% of shoppers are setting New Year’s resolutions to reduce spending in 2025. Millennials lead this movement with 82% planning to tighten budgets, followed by Gen Z and Gen X. However, only 42% of Baby Boomers share this sentiment, which signals a difference in financial priorities.
Source: Ecommerce Pulse Report: Q4 2024, the Salsify and Digital Shelf Institute report.
This shift will likely influence purchasing patterns. Brands should adapt their product offerings, promotions, and messaging to align with a budget-focused consumer mindset.
Here are three key strategies that can help maintain engagement and sales:
- Prioritize value-driven offers. Discounts, loyalty programs, or bundled products that maximize value can appeal strongly to this cost-aware audience. For example, consider running limited-time promotions during key times like post-holiday sales or major shopping events.
- Invest in enhanced product content that gives confidence in buying decisions. Include detailed descriptions, high-quality images, video demos, and customer reviews.
- Suggest budget-friendly options based on browsing behavior or past purchases. Keep shoppers engaged and enhance their sense of value.
Improving product pages
Have you paid attention to how your product pages look? What do they contain?
For key product page features, customer reviews and ratings are the most influential elements as they impact buying decisions for nearly 25% of shoppers. Shoppers rely on peer opinions and experiences to assess product quality and reliability before purchasing. High-quality visuals, such as clear images and videos, also rank high in importance (22%), as they help customers better understand product characteristics and potential uses.
Source: Ecommerce Pulse Report: Q4 2024, the Salsify and Digital Shelf Institute report.
Interestingly, baby boomers prioritize price and availability more than any other generation group, with 31% considering it a primary factor in their final decisions, compared to just 13% of Millennials.
This difference exposes a challenge: while younger shoppers may look more to social proof and engaging visuals, baby boomers tend to weigh practical details like cost and product availability more heavily.
Thus, brands aiming for cross-generational appeal should balance diverse content elements – reviews, visuals, and transparent pricing – to meet the expectations of various age groups effectively.
Source: Ecommerce Pulse Report: Q4 2024, the Salsify and Digital Shelf Institute report.
Expanding the retail network
Consumers are loyal to their favorite retailers, but they also frequently shop around. According to the report, 44% of surveyed shoppers buy from 1-3 different online retailers, while 38% purchase from 4-6. Customers like to have a choice and decide for themselves what and where they will buy. And at what price. So, they are very careful and compare their experiences to then choose a particular store.
Source: Ecommerce Pulse Report: Q4 2024, the Salsify and Digital Shelf Institute report.
If we separate the data into different segments, namely Gen Zers, Millennials, Gen Xers, and Baby Boomers, the results are as follows. As many as 63% of Baby Boomers buy regularly from 1-3 online retailers. Most Gen Xers and Millennials buy from 4-6 online retailers, as much as 40% and 44% respectively. As for Gen Zers, most said they buy from 1-3 online retailers. Interestingly, no Baby Boomers surveyed buy from 10 or more online retailers.
Source: Ecommerce Pulse Report: Q4 2024, the Salsify and Digital Shelf Institute report.
How to take advantage of this situation?
- You need to expand your brand’s presence across a broader network of retailers to increase reach and cater to shoppers who prefer variety in their purchasing options.
- You can also collaborate with multiple retail platforms and inform your audience about this.
Top three consumer trends in Germany
#1 Engagement and innovation with influencers
Younger German consumers, especially Gen Z and Millennials, are increasingly connecting with brands on a personal level. Social media influencers are capitalizing on this by backing or creating brands – particularly in the beverage sector, where immediate success follows thanks to these influencers’ strong online presence.
A study from Euromonitor shows that 37% of Gen Z and 48% of millennials in Germany want to have a say in product innovation. So, brands need to involve consumers in their development processes to remain relevant in Germany’s competitive market.
#2 Simple and effective wellness solutions
German consumers, especially younger generations, are increasingly focused on streamlined wellness solutions with specific ingredients that promise tangible benefits. In a country known for its tech-savvy consumers, 73% report they are willing to pay more for beauty products if the efficacy is proven.
The above trend points to a new breed of “wellness pragmatists” who seek products with straightforward, effective benefits that enhance their physical and mental health.
#3 Sustainability still on target
Germany’s e-commerce sector is undergoing a shift toward sustainability, with growing consumer awareness pressuring brands to adopt circular economy practices. The fast fashion industry, once booming in Germany, now faces scrutiny as shoppers increasingly seek eco-conscious options.
In fact, 54% of German consumers report purchasing second-hand items online, which demonstrates a shift towards a more mindful consumption approach. Fashion brands focus on reusing, repairing, and repurposing products.
Bonus: How to conduct the right consumer research in your company
Approach consumer research with clear goals, flexible methods, and a comprehensive look at each channel, and you’ll uncover the insights to meet (and exceed) customer expectations.
Here’s how to get started:
Set goals for omnichannel success
It’s true: without solid goals, you might find your consumer research efforts falling flat. To stay competitive, embrace an omnichannel mindset that connects their digital and in-store experiences. Cross-functional goals across departments are especially important here. For instance, your e-commerce and marketing teams should collaborate to track how online content influences both digital and in-store sales.
So, as you wrap up the quarter and plan for 2025, check if everyone’s on the same page and regularly assess progress. Then, you will pivot quickly, based on real-time data and insights, and keep everyone aligned.
Try different research methods
Consumer research is not one-size-fits-all, and mixing methods can give you the best results. Surveys and focus groups can capture direct opinions, while digital behavior analysis reveals how customers interact with your brand online.
In an omnichannel area, tracking both physical and digital interactions is crucial. For example, you might start with a survey to capture customer sentiment, then cross-check those results against online engagement metrics, like click-through rates on product pages. And don’t ignore newer tools like heatmaps or eye-tracking software for e-commerce, which can provide insights on what elements capture attention.
If you diversify your research methods, you will get a fuller picture of your customer journey and reveal valuable touchpoints that might otherwise go unnoticed.
Leverage data for personalization and customer engagement
The more personalized the experience, the stronger the customer connection.
Using data to personalize recommendations can drive engagement and boost sales. For example, providing tailored product suggestions based on browsing history or past purchases helps customers feel understood, leading to repeat sales. You now know that 37% of shoppers buy more frequently when receiving personalized recommendations. So, even simple adjustments – like customizing your homepage layout for repeat visitors – can make a huge difference.
And don’t forget to respect privacy concerns by being transparent with data usage to build trust with customers over time.
Understand the digital shelf in the DACH region
The “digital shelf” is essentially your brand’s presence across online platforms, and in regions like DACH or CEE, it’s a make-or-break factor. Optimizing this shelf involves curating product listings with effective images, detailed descriptions, and authentic customer reviews.
In DACH, consumers value quality, detailed product visuals, and thorough reviews. Thus, build trust and transparency and boost your brand’s appeal. For instance, consider using enhanced content such as charts, tutorials, or even videos for products on your site. These additions make it easier for customers to make informed choices and can give you a competitive edge.
Analyze consumer behavior across channels
Consumers don’t stick to one channel, so analyzing behavior across multiple touchpoints – like mobile apps, websites, and in-store visits – is everything.
Recognizing this behavior allows you to craft targeted omnichannel strategies. For instance, in-store data can inform digital campaigns, while online behavior can provide cues for optimizing store layouts or promotions. Also, adapt your marketing and product positioning based on multi-channel insights and you will improve customer experience and retain loyal buyers.
Use the right KPIs
Tracking KPIs gives you insight into what’s working and what needs improvement. For e-commerce, key metrics like conversion rates, customer satisfaction scores, and return rates provide a snapshot of your engagement effectiveness.
If customer reviews frequently mention issues with a product, it may indicate a need for product improvement. In the DACH e-commerce, customer satisfaction scores are particularly telling, as consumers are vocal about their expectations for quality and transparency.
Thus, listen to your audience. Monitor KPIs and make data-backed adjustments in real-time. Then, you will stay responsive to customer needs and market trends.
Conduct the end-of-year performance assessments
Conducting year-end assessments will set a strong foundation for 2025. Assessments should cover resource allocation, past goal achievements, and any departmental silos that could hinder next year’s objectives.
Including peer reviews and self-assessments in this process brings a well-rounded perspective and gives teams a chance to celebrate wins and address areas for growth. Reflecting on the year’s outcomes provides a clear path forward and allows for a smooth transition into the new year with everyone aligned on shared goals.
Conclusion
To wrap up Q4 2024 and plan for 2025, DACH brands should focus on many critical areas, including:
- setting aligned, cross-functional goals
- assessing performance with better KPIs
- investing in personalization
- and enhancing product page content
Understanding what drives your customers’ choices and unique preferences within regions like the DACH market is complex. However, if you succeed, you equip your business with the tools to engage meaningfully, adapt quickly, and, ultimately, make a difference in the e-commerce market.
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