1.
The
Connected
Economy
Insights from the network

2.
Insights from the network
As marketers, we’re used to speaking in the millions and billions. We’re excited by
these magnitudes — not frightened by them. Big Data has conditioned us to dig
through mountains of noise until we strike signal, until we recognize patterns that
tell us what we want to know.
Big numbers make it tempting to speak in abstractions, but it has never been more
important to recognize that behind each data point is a person. Those signals are
human signals, and those patterns tell us about how real consumers live their lives.
The responsibility as marketers possessed of this data is to use it to serve those that
supply it, the end consumers that buy our products and tell us how to make them
better.
We’ve created this booklet to share some of what we’ve learned about consumers
around the world — their attitudes and beliefs, preferences, behaviors, and more
— from the billions of conversations that flow through our system every year.
Find more consumer insights in the following places:
Bazaarvoice blog: bazaarvoice.com/blog
The Conversation Benchmarking Tool: bv-url.com/benchmarking
The Conversation Index: theconversationindex.com
1

3.
The Connected Economy: North America Edition
Table of Contents
Insights from the network 1
Travel 10
Apparel 14
Department Store & Mass Merchant 18
Consumer Electronics 22
Consumer Packaged Goods Manufacturers 26
Financial Services 30
Definitions 34
About Bazaarvoice 35
Sources 37
2 3

4.
Top Performing Categories
Did your category make the list of top performers by these
critical measures?
Top 5 categories by average rating* out of 5 stars
4.63 4.54 4.53 4.50 4.49
Jewelry Professional Flowers Media Sporting Goods
Services & Gifts & Outdoors
4 *See page 36 for definition of these terms. 5

5.
Top 5 categories by % lift in revenue* per visit Top 5 categories by % repeat reviewers*
for review readers
Apparel & 178%
Accessories
40% 37% 32% 31% 29%
Sporting Goods 111%
Department Stores
& Mass Merchant 81% Toys, Games Health Media Luxury Apparel &
& Hobbies & Beauty Apparel Accessories
Housewares &
Home Furnishings 78%
Hardware &
Home Appliances 63%
Top 5 categories by net promoter score*
Top 5 categories by % lift in conversion* for review readers
Apparel & 201%
Accessories
Sporting Goods 112% 70% 69% 68% 67% 66%
Department Stores
& Mass Merchant
109%
Housewares &
Home Furnishings 101% Pets Food, Health Media Jewelry
Beverage & Beauty
Hardware & & Drug
Home Appliances 90%
6 *See page 36 for definition of these terms. 7

6.
Consumers have no problem
telling you what’s working,
and what’s not. For these
six common business types,
the data is just as clear:
User-generated content
equals massive advantage.

7.
“I think mobile is
going to be 50
percent of travel
booked within a
few years. It’s up for
grabs for anybody.”
Carl Sparks 1
CEO
Travelocity
11

8.
ROI Questions & Answers — Percentage lift for
Travel product pages
Compared to site visitors that did not read reviews, review readers in the Travel All Clients
category experience average lift of 52% in page views per visit, 83% in time on
site, 25% in repeat visits, 77% in conversion, and 61% in revenue per visit. No
+7% AVERAGE
significant gains in Average Order Value were detected. These gains translate into
sitewide gains of 1% each in conversion and revenue per visit. ORDER VALUE
The average rating in the Travel category is 4.14 out of 5 stars. Seventy-nine
percent of Travel reviews are 4 stars or above. Twenty-two percent of reviews come
from repeat reviewers. When shoppers post questions in the Travel category, 95%
of the answers posted are from community peers (as opposed to employees). All Clients
Travel’s Net Promoter Score (NPS) is 46%, with 62% promoters and 16% +77% CONVERSION
detractors. Ninety-six percent of reviewers in this category input NPS.
All Clients
From Destination Millennials +61% REVENUE
PER VISIT
39% of Millennials won’t rent a hotel room and 32% won’t book
travel accommodations without first reading others’ opinions.
12 13

9.
“ We’re just doing what we’ve
always done. We don’t do a
lot of advertising. We try to let
customers do it for us. Well
that’s what social media is. It’s
customers talking to each other
— same thing as 20 years ago.”
Jamie Nordstrom 2
President
Nordstrom Direct
15

10.
Net promoter score
Apparel
Compared to site visitors that did not read reviews, review readers in the Apparel
category experience average lift of 93% in page views per visit, 130% in time on
site, 9% in repeat visits, 178% in conversion, 201% in revenue per visit, and 9% in
Average Order Value. These gains translate into sitewide gains of 8% in conversion
and 9% revenue per visit.
The average rating in the Apparel category is 4.28 out of 5 stars. Eighty-three
percent of Apparel reviews are 4 stars or above. Twenty-nine percent of reviews
73% 17%
come from repeat reviewers. When shoppers post questions in the Apparel
category, 57% of the answers posted are from community peers (as opposed to
employees).
Apparel’s NPS is 62%, with 73% promoters and 10% detractors. Ninety-two
percent of reviewers in this category input NPS.
From The Conversation Index Volume 3
42%
of product suggestions across reviews in all categories, were
“wishes” relating to color, style, or sizing, such as, “I wish these
boots were available in brown.”
16 17

11.
“ Consumers’ store-related mobile
activities are contributing to —
not taking away from — in-store
sales, and our research indicates
that smartphone shoppers are
14% more likely to convert and
make a purchase in the store
than non-smartphone users.”
Alison Paul
3
Vice Chairman
Deloitte LLP
19

12.
ROI Ratings & Reviews — Percentage lift for
Department Store product pages
AVERAGE ORDER VALUE
& Mass Merchant Department Store
Compared to site visitors that did not read reviews, review readers in the 11%
Department Store / Mass Merchant category experience average lift of 74% in +0% +25%
page views per visit, 107% in time on site, 9% in repeat visits, 81% in conversion,
101% in revenue per visit, and 11% in Average Order Value. These gains translate
8%
All Clients
into sitewide gains of 3% each in conversion and revenue per visit.
The average rating in the Department Store / Mass Merchant category is 4.27 out
of 5 stars. Eighty-three percent of Department Store / Mass Merchant reviews are 4 CONVERSION
Department Store
81%
stars or above. Twenty-five percent of reviews come from repeat reviewers. When
shoppers post questions in the Department Store / Mass Merchant category, 68%
of the answers posted are from community peers (as opposed to employees). +0% +200%
Department Store / Mass Merchant’s NPS is 56%, with 69% promoters and 13% 85%
detractors. Eighty-seven percent of reviewers in this category input NPS. All Clients
From The Conversation Index Volume 2
REVENUE PER VISIT
Department Store
2%
of all reviews in the Department Store / Mass Merchant category
mentioned shipping issues, second only to the Home Improvement
category in our analysis. Almost half of customer reviews that +0% +200%
99%
mentioned problems with shipping rated products very poorly — up to 80%
lower than average product sentiment. So even if a customer loves a product,
a shipping hiccup can ruin the experience — and make product ratings plummet. All Clients
20 21

13.
“ One screen isn’t enough
anymore. Consumers
want their devices to be
connected and they want
their content to move
freely between them.”
Tim Baxter4
President
Samsung Electronics America
23

14.
The Connected Economy: North America Edition
Net promoter score for Consumer Electronics
Consumer Electronics
Compared to site visitors that did not read reviews, review readers in the
Consumer Electronics category experience average lift of 74% in page views per 53% % of Promoters % of Detractors
9s and 10s 0 through 6
visit, 144% in time on site, 9% in repeat visits, 37% in conversion, 48% in revenue
per visit, and 12% in Average Order Value. These gains translate into sitewide gains
of 1% in conversion and 2% in revenue per visit.
Promoters Detractors Passive
The average rating in the Consumer Electronics category is 4.27 out of 5 stars.
Eighty-five percent of Consumer Electronics reviews are 4 stars or above. Fifteen
64% 11% 25%
percent of reviews come from repeat reviewers. When shoppers post questions
in the Consumer Electronics category, 34% of the answers posted are from
community peers (as opposed to employees).
Consumer Electronics’ NPS is 53%, with 64% promoters and 11% detractors.
Ninety-one percent of reviewers in this category input NPS.
From The Conversation Index Volume 1
19%
of all Consumer Electronics reviews included the word
“easy,” more than any other category. Consumers in more
complicated purchase categories like Consumer Electronics
are typically looking for ease of use. 0.1% of the reviews that contained “easy”
also contained both “quality” and “value.”
24 25

15.
“ What could possibly
be more important
than what your
consumers say
about you?”
Mary O’Connell 5
Director of Global Digital Marketing
Clorox Brands
27

16.
Rating distribution for Consumer Packaged Goods
Consumer Packaged Goods
Manufacturers
Compared to site visitors that did not read reviews, review readers in the 5 68%
Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) category experience average lift of 88% in
conversion.
The average rating in the CPG category is 4.12 out of 5 stars. Eighty percent of
CPG reviews are 4 stars or above. Twelve percent of reviews come from repeat 4 12%
reviewers.
CPG’s NPS is 65%, with 78% promoters and 14% detractors. Ninety percent of
reviewers in this category input NPS.
3 3%
2 2%
From The Conversation Index Volume 4
Trending use of specific language reveals consumer interest. In CPG, mentions 1 10%
of “healthy,” “allergies,” and “organic” correlate to consumer sentiment
and overall trends — even for these lower-consideration products.
28 29

17.
“ I think we’re always challenged
with figuring out ways to engage
customers in a meaningful way,
and in a way that they need,
rather than just trying to drive
engagement for the sake of
engagement — which generally
falls flat in a category like ours.”
Shawn Morton 6
VP of Social Products & Platforms
JPMorgan Chase
31

18.
Average rating
Financial Services
ALL CLIENTS
FINANCIAL
The average rating in the Financial Services category is 4.44 out of 5 stars. Eighty-
SERVICES
seven percent of Financial Services reviews are 4 stars or above. Six percent of
reviews come from repeat reviewers.
4.44 4.28
Financial Services’ NPS is 57%, with 74% promoters and 17% detractors. Ninety-
nine percent of reviewers in this category input NPS.
Net promoter score
From The Conversation Index Volume 2
57% % of Promoters % of Detractors
9s and 10s 0 through 6
Turns out, customers for 20+ years rate financial products less favorably than
new customers. Those who have been customers for less than a year rated
Promoters Detractors Passive
74% 17% 9%
products 8% more positively, on average, than these long-tenured clients.
But all is not lost: 77% of long-term customers said they would recommend
their financial firms to others — they’re the second largest segment of promoters
for these types of firms.
Plus, these customers contributed more content than any other group — they
created 32% of total product reviews.
32 33

19.
Definitions Revenue Per Visit % Lift
What it is: Total revenue divided by About Bazaarvoice
total visits, measured in percentage lift
Conversion Rate % Lift Bazaarvoice, a leading social software company, assists clients in bringing the
for visitors who have interacted with
What it is: The percentage of visits voice of the customer to the center of business strategy. With over 2,000 clients
user-generated content over visitors
that end in a transaction, measured in who have not. globally, including over half of the Internet Retailer 500, over 20 percent of the
percentage lift for visitors who have Fortune 500 and over one-third of the Fortune 100, Bazaarvoice helps clients to
Why it’s important: Use this to
interacted with user-generated content determine the impact of user-generated leverage social data derived from online word of mouth content to increase sales,
over visitors who have not. content on the average revenue earned acquire new customers, improve marketing effectiveness, enhance consumer
Why it’s important: Use this to per visit. engagement across channels, increase success of new product launches, improve
determine the impact of user-generated existing products and services, effectively scale customer support, decrease
Net Promoter Score (NPS)
content on closing the sale. product returns and enable retailers to launch and manage on-site advertising
What it is: Consumers’ likeliness
Average Order Value % Lift to recommend your company. solutions and site monetization strategies. This online word of mouth content can
What it is: Total revenue generated be syndicated across Bazaarvoice’s global network of client websites, shopper
Why it’s important: Use this to
divided by total number of orders, determine customer satisfaction — media sites and mobile devices, making the user-generated content that digital
measured in percentage lift for visitors how your company is performing in consumers trust accessible at multiple points of purchase. Headquartered in
who have interacted with user- the eyes of your customers. Austin, Texas, Bazaarvoice has offices in Amsterdam, London, Munich, New York,
generated content over visitors Paris, San Francisco, Stockholm, and Sydney. For more information, visit www.
who have not. Repeat Reviewers %
bazaarvoice.com, read the blog at www.bazaarvoice.com/blog, and follow
What it is: The percentage of total
Why it’s important: Use this to on Twitter at www.twitter.com/bazaarvoice.
reviews written by those who have
determine the impact of user-generated
contributed two or more reviews Column Five Media created the visualizations for The Connected Economy,
content on the dollar amount of the
over a specified period of time. based on data from the Conversation Benchmarking Tool (bv-url.com/
average transaction.
Why it’s important: Use this to benchmarking)
measure customer engagement
and identify brand advocates.
34 35

20.
Sources
“The Connected Economy”
1. “Travelocity’s Carl Sparks found a job all about travel, but close to home,”
Dallas Business Journal, October 2012 http://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/
print-edition/2012/10/12/carl-sparks-of-travelocity-found-a.html?page=all
2. “Shaking the Social Media Magic 8 Ball,” Apparel, September 2012 http://apparel.
edgl.com/case-studies/Shaking-the-Social-Media-Magic-8-Ball82294
3. “Smartphones will Influence $689 Billion in Retail Store Sales by 2016: Deloitte
Study,” Deloitte, June 2012 http://www.deloitte.com/view/en_US/us/press/Press-
Releases/21b5a46ee8828310VgnVCM2000001b56f00aRCRD.htm
4. “Samsung’s Vision Of A Hyper-Flexible Gadget Empire At CES 2013,” readwrite,
January 2013 http://readwrite.com/2013/01/07/ces-2013-samsung-press-
conference
5. “Competing against ‘the other woman’: How CPG brands can win against
private labels,” Bazaarvoice Blog, October 2012 http://www.bazaarvoice.com/
blog/2012/10/08/competing-against-the-other-woman-how-cpg-brands-can-win-
against-private-labels/
6. “Social Pros 24 – Shawn Morton, JPMorgan Chase,” Convince & Convert, July 2013
http://www.convinceandconvert.com/social-pros-podcast/social-pros-24-shawn-
morton-jpmorgan-chase/
36 37