A new consumer survey reveals that three out of four people prefer to shop through websites rather than social media platforms. Nearly three in five respondents also say they are more likely to buy from a retailer with a .ie domain.
The research—carried out last month by Core Research on behalf of .ie, the body that manages Ireland’s country domain registrations—surveyed 1,000 adults. While around 11% of .ie domain holders are international registrants, the vast majority are Irish businesses, individuals, communities, and towns.
Despite most people favouring traditional websites, shopping features on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok continue to grow in popularity. However, identity verification is not required on social media platforms.
More than one in five Irish consumers have fallen victim to an online shopping scam, and one in four say they are very concerned about online fraud. The long-standing advice still applies: if an offer seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Although the survey found that price is the most important factor for more than 90% of consumers, one-third rely on recommendations from friends and family, and 64% consider online reviews when making purchasing decisions.
The report also notes that one in five Irish people say AI-generated recommendations influence their shopping choices.