How Reddit influences purchase decisions

Some 69% of Redditors have bought a new device or tech product based on information they found on Reddit. — Photography Delmaine Donson/Getty Images/AFP Relaxnews

Now a reflex for many internet users, checking social networks to find out about a product prior to purchase has become part of consumer habits. And on Reddit, 93% of users say the website helps them make more informed decisions when upgrading tech products and devices.

Like Instagram and TikTok, Reddit is increasingly finding its place alongside Google as a go-to platform for finding pre-purchase product information, according to the latest report from Reddit for Business, surveying over 1,000 people in the US in March 2023.

According to the report's findings, 93% of Reddit users said that Reddit had helped them make more informed decisions when it comes to purchasing high-tech products and devices. Moreover, 78% of Reddit users say they are more likely to buy new tech products or devices that are launched on Reddit.

When it comes to brand engagement, users are more receptive to the brands present on Reddit. Some 86% of them admit to having greater trust in a tech brand present on the platform. And this is reflected in the purchases they make. Indeed, 69% of US users surveyed have bought a high-tech product based on information found on Reddit. And the trend seems set to continue, since 75% of them are already planning to spend the same or more on high-tech products this year.

According to the study, conversations about tech products on Reddit continue even after the product launch date -- and more so than on other platforms, such as Twitter. This is notably the case for Samsung's S23 smartphone, which fueled conversations on Reddit for several weeks after its launch earlier this year.

Reddit's most popular tech communities include r/technology, r/homeautomation, r/gadgets, r/GamingLaptops and r/virtualreality. – AFP Relaxnews