The 5WPR 2024 Consumer Culture Report finds consistency is replacing convenience as a key driver for consumer selection. Censuswide surveyed 2,005 US consumers for 5WPR between November 28 and 30, 2023. Word of mouth (46%) and customer reviews (44%) are the top persuaders for shoppers. Brands telling one clear story across every channel win consumer selections.
This is the fifth annual edition of the report. The full 2024 Consumer Culture Report PDF covers three topics. These topics include consumer spending intentions, the content compelling consumers to select a brand, and attitudes toward in-store shopping. All findings below come from this report unless another source is named.
The report's headline numbers at a glance:
| Metric | Finding |
|---|---|
| Sample | 2,005 US consumers, surveyed by Censuswide, November 28 to 30, 2023 |
| Top brand persuader | Word of mouth (46%), followed by customer reviews (44%) |
| Top 2024 splurge categories | Electronics and technology (52%) and health and wellness (52%) |
| Browsing preference | 51% prefer browsing online, 39% prefer browsing in-store |
Where Do Consumers Plan to Splurge in 2024?
Consumers plan to splurge most on electronics and technology (52%) and health and wellness (52%) in 2024, according to the 5WPR 2024 Consumer Culture Report. Both categories hold the top two ranks for the third consecutive year. Health and wellness saw the largest increase, rising from 43% of consumers in the 2023 report to 52% in 2024.
Travel and experiences climbed from fifth to third place. The share of consumers willing to splurge on travel rose seven points, from 38% in 2023 to 45% in 2024. Beauty and personal care increased from 37% to 43%, entering the top five and displacing home goods and furniture from the rankings.
| Rank | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Electronics and technology (52%) | Electronics and technology (51%) | Electronics and technology (57%) |
| 2 | Health and wellness (52%) | Health and wellness (43%) | Health and wellness (49%) |
| 3 | Travel and experiences (45%) | Home goods and furniture (42%) | Home goods and furniture (48%) |
| 4 | Dining out (44%) | Dining out (40%) | Dining out (46%) |
| 5 | Beauty and personal care (43%) | Travel and experiences (38%) | Travel and experiences (44%) |
Age groups show different spending priorities. Consumers aged 16 to 24 and 25 to 34 both name electronics and technology as their top splurge category, with 61% each. Consumers aged 35 to 44 prioritize health and wellness first, at 62%. Shoppers aged 45 and older remain more cautious. Only 45% of consumers aged 65 and over plan to splurge on health and wellness, which is their top category.
How Did 2023 Spending Compare to Predictions?
Consumers spent more freely across more categories in 2023 than they predicted a year earlier, the 5WPR 2024 Consumer Culture Report indicates. Before 2023, only 37% of consumers expected to spend most of their disposable income on dining out. Looking back, 45% said dining out was their top spending category, making it the leader for the third consecutive year.
Beauty and personal care followed a similar pattern. Just 21% of consumers planned to spend most of their disposable income on beauty in 2023, yet 29% reported doing so. Travel and experiences showed a reverse trend. One in three consumers (33%) predicted travel would account for most of their money in 2023, but only 30% reported it did.
| Rank | Predicted spending in 2023 | Actual spending in 2023 | Predicted spending in 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Clothing and fashion (38%) | Dining out (45%) | Travel and experiences (41%) |
| 2 | Dining out (37%) | Clothing and fashion (40%) | Dining out (36%) |
| 3 | Travel and experiences (33%) | Travel and experiences (30%) | Clothing and fashion (35%) |
| 4 | Electronics and technology (29%) | Electronics and technology (30%) | Health and wellness (32%) |
| 5 | Health and wellness (29%) | Beauty and personal care (29%) | Electronics and technology (26%) |
For 2024, travel and experiences leads the list of where consumers expect most of their disposable income to go, at 41%. Dara A. Busch, Co-CEO of 5WPR, linked the travel gap to messaging in the January 30, 2024 press release announcing the report. Busch said unclear messaging about brand and product value "leads to the disparities we see between trends in appetite to spend and ultimately the spending that's reported." The solution, according to Busch, is clear brand positioning and consistent storytelling across all channels.
What Content Persuades Consumers to Select a Brand?
Word of mouth is the most persuasive content for consumers selecting a brand, cited by 46% of respondents in the 5WPR 2024 Consumer Culture Report. Customer reviews and testimonials follow closely at 44%. Media coverage of the brand across print, online, TV, or audio persuades 26% of consumers. Television coverage specifically persuades 22%, and organically created TikTok or user-generated video persuades 16%.
Word of mouth holds the most importance for older shoppers. It is the top persuader for consumers aged 45 to 54 (51%), 55 to 64 (52%), and 65 and over (47%). Reviews and testimonials are most influential for consumers aged 25 to 34 (40%) and 45 to 54 (54%).
The youngest consumers, aged 16 to 24, show a different pattern. Among this group, 32% say organically created TikTok or user-generated content is most compelling for brand selection. This figure is double the overall average of 16% and surpasses brand media coverage (23%) and TV coverage (17%) for the same age group.
How Do Consumers Define Word of Mouth?
Consumers primarily define word of mouth as a recommendation from a friend or family member they know in real life. In the report, 71% of respondents agreed this definition resembles their own. Respondents rated five definitions on a scale of 1 to 5. The report combined the share who rated each definition 1 to 3. The further the source is from the consumer, the less it qualifies as word of mouth.
| Definition of word of mouth | Share of consumers who say it resembles their own definition |
|---|---|
| A friend or family member you know in real life tells you about a product or service | 71% |
| Customer reviews or testimonials tell you about a product or service | 68% |
| A video made by a user organically reaches your social feed | 55% |
| A verified user (influencer or checkmarked account) posts on social media | 47% |
| A recognizable celebrity posts on social media | 36% |
Consumers aged 16 to 24 are again an exception. For this group, 67% say a user-made video that organically reaches their feed resembles word of mouth. This is the highest score for any definition within that age group. The figure drops to 46% for consumers aged 55 to 64 and 40% for those 65 and over. Celebrity posts receive the lowest scores across all age groups, ranging from 48% among 35 to 44 year olds down to 25% among consumers 65 and over.
Are Shoppers Returning to Physical Stores?
Shoppers still prefer browsing online, but a large share favors physical stores, the 5WPR 2024 Consumer Culture Report indicates. Overall, 51% of consumers prefer to browse items online, while 39% prefer browsing in-store. Among consumers aged 16 to 24, the split is even: 43% prefer browsing in-store and 43% prefer browsing online.
Shopping remains an enjoyable activity for many. Almost 2 in 5 consumers (37%) consider shopping a leisure activity they enjoy doing alone. Another 28% view shopping as a social activity shared with friends and family. When consumers do shop in person, 49% prefer department stores that stock multiple brands over single-brand retailers (22%).
| In-store experience that would entice consumers to shop in person | Share of respondents |
|---|---|
| Exclusive in-store deals | 52.32% |
| Exclusive in-store products | 43.94% |
| Instant gratification | 31.82% |
| Store set up as an experience or destination (mural walls, photo-friendly design) | 21.40% |
| Personal shopper or stylist | 21.25% |
| Influencer events | 16.81% |
For consumers aged 16 to 24, the top three enticements are exclusive in-store deals (46%), exclusive in-store products (40%), and a store designed as an experience or destination (39%). The report notes that 10% of this age group do not associate shopping with any of the provided definitions. This is the highest share among all age groups. Their shopping habits are still developing, which presents an opportunity for brands.
What Should Brands Do with the 2024 Findings?
Brands should tell one consistent story at every touchpoint, tailor messaging by age group, and provide concrete reasons for shoppers to visit a store, according to the 5WPR 2024 Consumer Culture Report recommendations. The report concludes with eight actions. The table below pairs each recommendation with its supporting finding.
| Recommendation | Finding it answers | Action for brands |
|---|---|---|
| Here, there, everywhere | Word of mouth (46%) and reviews (44%) drive selection | Deliver a consistent experience from browsing to checkout, support, and social channels |
| A tailored fit | Definitions of word of mouth differ by age | Write separate messaging for each age group instead of one campaign for all |
| Feed the feeds | Paid social persuades fewer consumers than word of mouth | Maintain a steady presence in feeds to build awareness that word of mouth feeds on |
| Micro influence, macro impact | Celebrity posts score lowest as word of mouth (36%) | Partner with niche micro-influencers rather than paying for celebrity reach |
| Personal investments | Health and wellness splurging rose to 52% | Show how the product makes daily life easier, better, or healthier |
| Intention into action | Travel predicted at 33%, actual 30% in 2023 | Spell out the mental and emotional payoff of an experience, not only the aspiration |
| Exclusive engagement | 39% prefer browsing in-store; deals draw 52% | Offer in-store exclusives and design the store as a destination |
| Untapped youth | 16 to 24 year olds split evenly between online and in-store | Engage this group now while their shopping identities are forming |
Consistency is the central theme. A shopper who hears one story from a friend, reads it in a review, sees it in a feed, and finds it confirmed in the store has no reason to hesitate. A shopper who encounters conflicting messages at each step may stall, which mirrors the gap seen in the travel spending data.
How Was the 2024 Consumer Culture Report Researched?
The 2024 Consumer Culture Report is based on a survey of 2,005 US consumers conducted by Censuswide, an independent market research consultancy. Fieldwork took place between November 28 and 30, 2023, with a nationally representative sample. Censuswide is a member of the British Polling Council and employs members of the Market Research Society. All survey panelists are double opted-in, in line with the Market Research Society code of conduct and ESOMAR standards.
The full report includes age breakdowns for every question covered above. Download the 2024 Consumer Culture Report as a PDF. Earlier editions and other 5W studies are available on the 5W research hub.
Conclusion
The 2024 Consumer Culture Report reveals consumers are ready to spend and are more persuaded by peers than by advertising or celebrities. Brands that maintain a consistent message across friends, reviews, social feeds, and store shelves will convert this consumer appetite into selections. A related analysis, how lifestyle PR shapes consumer culture, looks at why authenticity outweighs influencer reach once that consistent message reaches social feeds. 5WPR's consumer PR practice develops these programs for beauty, wellness, travel, dining, fashion, and consumer technology brands. Contact us at info@5wpr.com to discuss how these findings apply to your brand strategy.
