Over 90% Of Irish Shoppers Claim That They Are Not #Influenced By Bloggers

Whether you’re an Instagram addict or not, there is absolutely no denying that bloggers and social media stars are not influencing us every day, it is where the name influencer came from after all.

But it seems that in Ireland, we are less influenced by social media stars then other countries.

In a recent survey, participants were asked who influences their shopping habits and choice of purchases. The majority said that the inspiration comes closer to home, with 65% claiming it’s from friends and families.  Only 7% of the people surveyed said that they influenced by professional influencers, and only 1% said that they are persuaded by celebrity endorsements.

It’s hard to believe with the huge influencer market in Ireland that more people are not impacted by social media posts, but perhaps it’s a case of being indirectly influenced, rather than clicking of that affiliate link. Other factors to consider is the introduction of guidelines including ‘#Spon’ and ‘Paid Partnership’ declarations, which may make people feel more sceptical about products people are recommending.

It’s also important to keep in mind that it was men and women of all ages surveys, and perhaps if a female audience of a certain age was asked, that influencer percentage would be considerably higher.Then again, perhaps things are changing, and we can understand why friends, sisters and even mums may be on top when it comes to who influence us every day.

The survey, carried out by TK Maxx across April and May found the results from a representative sample of 1,001 respondents nationwide.

While not many admitted to being swayed by Instagram, a lot did proudly claim to be savvy shoppers at 40% of those surveys. Over a quarter said that the most satisfying part of shopping is “the thrill of the hunt, finding a bargain and the happiness that brings”.