The pandemic triggered a huge year of growth for the ecommerce industry, which previously made up less than 20% of overall sales, and now makes up for 40% of all sales. Online market places in particular made up for 55% of all global ecommerce in the market in 2020.

The research from detected shows this positive growth is threatened by a decline in trust, as over 40% of respondents reported feeling less trusting of online brands than three years ago.

Liam Chennells, chief executive officer at detected says, “Trust sells. Consumers want as much transparency and reassurance as possible, whether they are shopping online for themselves, their loved ones, or the businesses they work for. This research shows that investing in trust puts marketplaces ahead of their competition.”

To thrive in this increasingly competitive market, brands operating online need to ensure they are responding to the demand for transparency. detected found that 98% of people would be more likely to purchase from a business if they were given more information. A further 84% admitted to researching a brand before committing to purchase.

Trust was found to be the second most influential factor in purchase decision-making, ranking top for 22% of people, only beaten by price, which was the most important factor for 61% of people.