The Consumer Journey®

Council of Better Business Bureaus, Inc.3033 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 600Arlington, VA 22201

bbb.org®

For more than 100 years, from small community stores to multinational enterprises, BBB has been on the forefront of positive marketplace change by partnering with leading companies committed to the best practices of business ethics, marketplace excellence, and e� ective industry self-regulation.

Trust always matters. We are deeply committed to building and advancing a better marketplace, a trusted marketplace for all.

Why Go On A Consumer Journey?

Taking this journey with Nielsen allots us many privileges as an organization. We are not only able to better understand consumers and how they go about making purchasing decisions, but we are also better able to determine how the BBB brand, services and accreditation impacts those decisions. As we continue to take part in this survey, we will use the fi ndings to better articulate our relevance and value to consumers and the businesses that serve them. The Consumer Journey Survey becomes a tool that provides us better understanding of the world of our consumer stakeholders which guide and shape the business space. The evolution of our own business practices are also impacted to create a more cohesive bridge between businesses and the consumers they serve.

The Importance of the Consumer Journey

PLATFORM FOR ENGAGEMENTThe Consumer Journey Survey provides us another platform to engage and connect with a key BBB stakeholder group. Presenting the type of questions included within the survey sends an indirect message to consumers that BBB does care about what is important to them and we are willing to make changes based on what we learn from them through the survey. It is important that we listen to each of the audiences we serve; through this particular survey we have been given the opportunity to listen to consumers that use — or should be using — our services.

INFORM OUR MARKETING, COMMUNICATION AND MESSAGING STRATEGYThe Consumer Journey Survey has provided insights that will makes us even smarter and more aware of the needs of consumers. It is important to take what we learn and apply it to our marketing, communication and messaging strategy. The survey insights aid in developing a strategy that applies

and meets consumers where they are. Through a better understanding of consumers’ needs and how the BBB is positioned in their minds, the organization will be better equipped to speak in terms that strike a cord and relate to where consumers live in regards to making decisions related to purchasing.

CONTRIBUTE TO ACCREDITED BUSINESS STRATEGYThe more we can tailor marketing e� orts and messaging to be relevant to the consumer, the more the consumer will fi nd value in the services the organization provides to them. An increase in consumer engagement and fulfi lment of the consumer’s needs impacts the organization’s value to businesses. An awareness that BBB is a resource to the consumer when making purchasing decisions and selecting companies to hire creates further value to businesses. Businesses will want to be a part of an organization that helps position them as reputable, credible and trustworthy in the consumer’s mind. Not only will they want to join our community, but they will also want to remain a part of it.

Did You KnowRatings and Reviews have a high infl uence on purchasing decisions

• Please consult with Rubens Pessanha, Director of Market Research & Insights, at rpessanha@council.bbb.org before using any information contained in the fi ndings of Nielsen’s study.

• The Nielsen Information is Nielsen’s property in which Nielsen retains ownership and which Nielsen does not sell but licenses to clients for their use pursuant to client’s contract. When using this data, all persons are required to include the source (Nielsen) and the year the data was collected (2014 or 2015 respectively).

73.1% of U.S. consumers are familiar with BBB

56.5% of Canadian consumers are familiar with BBB

How Known is BBB

HOW BBB IS USED HOW RELEVANT IS BBB

68.9% are likely to consult BBB prior to hiring a service contractor

59.1% are likely to consult BBB prior to purchasing a product or service from a website

58.4% are likely to consult BBB prior to purchasing a product or service at a business or store

76.9% are likely to complain or report a business to BBB, if unhappy

64.4% are likely to consult BBB prior to hiring a service contractor

50.1% are likely to consult BBB prior to purchasing a product or service from a website

46.0% are likely to consult BBB prior to purchasing a product or service at a business or store

73.3% are likely to complain or report a business to BBB, if unhappy

88.9% who have fi led a complaint with BBB would fi le a complaint again

76.7% who had their complaints resolved by BBB saved money

88.2% who have fi led a complaint with BBB would fi le a complaint again

66.4% who had their complaints resolved by BBB saved money

80.8% familiar with BBB agree it is trustworthy

79.0% familiar with BBB agree it is helpful

78.1% familiar with BBB agree it is valuable

79.4% familiar with BBB agree it is trustworthy

76.3% familiar with BBB agree it is helpful

75.6% familiar with BBB agree it is valuable

82.7% familiar with the BBB Accreditation Seal are more likely to purchase when a business displays BBB’s Accreditation Seal

83.7% familiar with the BBB Ratings are more likely to purchase if a business has a high BBB letter grade

76.8% familiar with the BBB Accreditation Seal are more likely to purchase when a business displays BBB’s Accreditation Seal

76.8% familiar with the BBB Ratings are more likely to purchase if a business has a high BBB letter grade

HOW TRUSTED IS BBB HOW BBB TRUSTMARKS INFLUENCE PURCHASING DECISIONS

RANK FAMILY/FRIENDS (3.94 out of 5)

RATINGS SOURCES(3.90 out of 5)

ONLINE REVIEWS (3.83 out of 5) As key factors in terms of infl uence on purchasing decisions

U . S . C O N S U M E R S

RANK FAMILY/FRIENDS (3.82 out of 5)

RATINGS SOURCES (3.54 OUT OF 5)

ONLINE REVIEWS (3.54 out of 5) As key factors in terms of infl uence on purchasing decisions

C A N A D I A N C O N S U M E R S

How to Use

U . S . C O N S U M E R S C A N A D I A N C O N S U M E R S U . S . C O N S U M E R S

C A N A D I A N C O N S U M E R S

U . S . C O N S U M E R S C A N A D I A N C O N S U M E R S U . S . C O N S U M E R S

C A N A D I A N C O N S U M E R S

The consumer takes into account many factors and considerations before making a fi nal selection

on a service and/or product. Do we truly understand these factors and what infl uences consumers to buy? What takes place throughout this process? Where do consumers go to gather information to help drive their purchase decisions?

The Council of Better Business Bureaus works with Nielsen to conduct an annual survey to help us answer these questions and learn more about how consumers make purchases. Through our Consumer Journey Survey distributed by Nielsen, we are able to discern what a consumer may consider before deciding to purchase. In collecting and analyzing this qualitative and quantitative information, we are able to better understand what factors have an impact on buying behavior. In addition, the survey o� ers insight into where BBB falls within this journey.

Who have we taken this journey with? The Consumer Journey Survey was conducted in October 2014 in the U.S. and in January 2015 in Canada, which included 2,024 overall respondents. The sample was selected from a national frame of household members 18 years of age or older. Respondents were recruited via the Internet using a custom email invitation which contained a live link to the survey.

The Council of Better Business Bureaus: Understanding the Journey