28 July 2015.
A study by Nielsen has revealed that shoppers in South Africa are some of the most open in the world when it comes to trying new products.
Over half of South Africans questioned in the study said they had bought a new product the last time they went shopping.
A spokesperson from Nielsen Africa said: “Developing countries like South Africa are attractive markets for new product expansion efforts, due to their younger demographic composition, rising middle class population and strong appetite for affordable luxuries”.
Many shoppers found out about new products online, with 47% using search engines, 31% using social media and 18% saying they found out about new products by going a manufacturer's own website.
The research also revealed the four key reasons behind product purchases.
Brand recognition was important to around a quarter of respondents, with shoppers saying they were likely to buy from brands that they already knew and that had a good reputation.
The very fact that a product is new is important to many South Africans, with 24% saying it would be enough to encourage them to buy it.
Products that had a convenience factor were also popular, with 26% saying they would buy a product if it made their life easier and 13% saying they would do so if it would somehow improve their mood.
Products from companies that had a reputation for social responsibility were also popular. South Africans were keen to buy from companies that cared about society or the environment.
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