E-Commerce Buyer Persona & Channel Preference Survey

Welcome! This survey explores your online shopping habits and communication preferences. It takes approximately 6–8 minutes to complete. Your participation is entirely voluntary, and you may stop at any time. There are no right or wrong answers — we are interested in your honest opinions. All responses are confidential and will be reported only in aggregate. By continuing, you consent to participate in this research.

In the past 3 months, have you purchased any products online?

• Yes
• No

On average, how often do you purchase products online?

• Multiple times a week
• About once a week
• 2–3 times a month
• About once a month
• Less than once a month

Please rank the following factors by how much they influence which online store you choose. (Drag to reorder; 1 = most important.)

1. Lowest total price
2. Fast and reliable shipping
3. Product reviews and ratings
4. Easy, free returns
5. Brand trust
6. Wide product selection

Where do you typically discover new online stores or products? (Select all that apply.)

• Search engines (organic results)
• Search ads
• Facebook or Instagram ads
• TikTok content or ads
• YouTube videos or ads
• Influencers or blogs
• Email newsletters
• SMS or text messages
• Brand app push notifications
• Marketplace recommendations (e.g., Amazon, eBay)
• Word of mouth
• Physical retail stores
• Other

Based on your responses in this survey, is there anything else about your online shopping experience or brand communication preferences you would like to share?

What is your age?

• 18–24
• 25–34
• 35–44
• 45–54
• 55–64
• 65+
• Prefer not to say

Thank you for completing this survey. Your responses will be used to improve online shopping experiences and will be reported only in aggregate. You may now close this window.

Which product categories do you most often purchase online? (Select all that apply.)

• Electronics and accessories
• Clothing and footwear
• Beauty and personal care
• Groceries
• Home and kitchen
• Health and wellness
• Toys and games
• Sporting goods
• Auto parts and accessories
• Pet supplies
• Books and media
• Other

In the past 6 months, which of the following issues have frustrated you when shopping online? (Select all that apply.)

• Unclear total cost until checkout
• Slow delivery times
• Complicated returns
• Confusing sizing or fit information
• Low stock or out-of-stock items
• Website or app errors and crashes
• Hard to find trustworthy reviews
• Payment security concerns
• Too many promotional emails or texts
• None of the above

Of those channels, which are most effective at getting you to actually visit a product page? (Drag to reorder; 1 = most effective.)

1. Search engines
2. Social media ads (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok)
3. YouTube videos or ads
4. Influencers or blogs
5. Email newsletters
6. SMS or text messages
7. Marketplace recommendations
8. Word of mouth

We'd like to understand a bit more about how you decide where to shop online. An AI moderator will ask you a couple of brief follow-up questions.

How do you describe your gender?

• Woman
• Man
• Non-binary
• Prefer not to say

Approximately how much did you spend on online purchases in the last 30 days?

• $0 (no purchases)
• $1–$49
• $50–$99
• $100–$199
• $200–$499
• $500–$999
• $1,000 or more
• Prefer not to say

After your first purchase with a brand, how would you most prefer they contact you, if at all?

• Email
• SMS or text
• App push notifications
• WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger
• In-marketplace messages (e.g., Amazon)
• No ongoing messages

In which region do you currently live?

• United States
• Canada
• United Kingdom
• European Union
• Australia/New Zealand
• India
• Southeast Asia
• Latin America
• Middle East/North Africa
• Sub-Saharan Africa
• Other

How often is it acceptable for a brand you like to send you messages?

• A few times per week
• About once per week
• 2–3 times per month
• About once per month
• Less than once per month
• Only after I make a purchase
• Never

What is the highest level of education you have completed?

• Less than high school
• High school or equivalent
• Some college, no degree
• Associate degree
• Bachelor's degree
• Master's degree
• Doctorate
• Other
• Prefer not to say

How comfortable are you with brands using your online activity data to personalize the offers you see?

What is your current employment status?

• Employed full-time
• Employed part-time
• Self-employed
• Student
• Homemaker/Caregiver
• Retired
• Unemployed, looking for work
• Not in labor force
• Prefer not to say

What is your approximate annual household income (in USD)?

• Under $25,000
• $25,000–$49,999
• $50,000–$74,999
• $75,000–$99,999
• $100,000–$149,999
• $150,000 or more
• Prefer not to say