Based on Butterly’s Q1 2026 survey of 3,522 Canadian consumers.

How many Canadian consumers research products before buying?

82.3% of the consumers we surveyed research most or all purchases before committing. Over half research almost everything they buy. Only 1.9% said they rely on instinct or brand familiarity alone. The research habit extends to cross-referencing: 72.9% check two to three sources before making a purchase, usually some combination of a retailer page, a search result, and a review or social platform.

How do Canadian consumers discover new products?

Recommendations from friends and family lead at 52.9%, followed by search engines at 43.1% and creator or influencer content at 38.2%. Retailer websites and apps came in at 35.3%, and paid social ads at 27.4%. Brand-owned channels ranked significantly lower: brand emails at 17.4%, brand websites at 13.8%, and AI recommendations at 8.2%. The most trusted discovery channels are the ones brands control least.

Does social media convert consumers or just create awareness?

Our data shows social media is an awareness channel, not a conversion channel. When consumers discover a product through social media or a creator, 56.4% immediately search for reviews elsewhere. Another 22.4% go to the brand or retailer site. Only 1.3% buy without doing additional research. The purchase decision happens after social, in reviews, on retailer sites, and through peer validation.

What do consumers value most in product reviews?

Recency. 59.8% of our respondents said reviews posted in the last few weeks or months are the most important quality, ahead of volume (41.6%), verified purchase status (40.6%), and customer photos or videos (40.0%). A product with a handful of recent reviews may be more persuasive than one with hundreds of older reviews. This means brands need continuous review generation, not one-time campaigns.

Do missing or untrustworthy reviews cost brands sales?

Yes. 89.1% of consumers in our survey have hesitated or abandoned a purchase because the reviews or recommendations didn’t feel trustworthy. 58.9% said it’s happened more than once. Only 6.1% have never experienced it. Thin, outdated, or inauthentic reviews are directly linked to lost purchases.

Does overly polished brand content hurt trust?

For the majority of consumers we surveyed, yes. 63.6% said overly polished or “too perfect” brand content makes them less likely to buy. 21.2% said it actively turns them off. Real photos, real language, and real imperfection are functioning as trust signals. Brands defaulting to studio-quality creative as the standard may be working against their own conversion rates.

Do Canadian consumers trust AI product recommendations?

As of Q1 2026, the majority do not. 52.6% of our respondents have never used AI tools for product discovery. Only 3.4% trust AI-generated summaries more than real customer reviews, and over 77% either prefer human reviews or reject AI summaries entirely. That said, Google now defaults to Gemini-powered AI summaries at the top of search results, so consumers are encountering AI-generated product information whether they seek it out or not. Awareness and usage are likely rising together, even among people who wouldn’t describe themselves as AI users.

Do online reviews influence in-store purchases?

Significantly. 77% of our respondents research online before buying in store, often or almost always. 31.6% arrive at the store having already made their decision. When we asked which online proof sources most influence in-store buying decisions, customer reviews led at 77.9%, followed by star ratings (50.1%) and customer photos or videos (47.9%). Review strategy isn’t just a digital commerce priority. It’s a retail strategy.

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