Recent consumer research by SurveyMonkey, a global survey software company, looked at the issue of trust – or lack thereof – and the role it plays in consumers’ purchasing decisions, as well as other influences on consumers’ perceptions of brands.

"You need trust to win customers, and you need to build on that trust to keep them,” SurveyMonkey chief executive officer Zander Lurie said in a statement announcing the survey results. “Our research shows the key to establishing this kind of trust begins by listening to your customers' voices and opinions, and then acting on those insights."

Trust plays a role in purchasing decisions for 92 percent of Americans and 95 percent of Canadians when it comes time to make a big purchase, according to SurveyMonkey. “Consumers are especially unwilling to risk money with a new brand in certain high-stakes categories like medical care or financial services,” the research firm added.

Although surveyed consumers are open to purchasing “low-stake items like shoes or electronics from startups, they would still prefer to purchase from established brands in all categories tested.”

The survey also looked at consumers’ perception of advertising and how it might affect purchasing decisions. The results indicated that about half of consumers have never made a purchase because of an advertisement, according to SurveyMonkey.

“Fewer than 1 in 10 individuals have ever purchased a product because of a celebrity endorsement, and only 13% have purchased because of an online influencer,” the announcement noted. “Of all advertising mediums, TV is most effective, but friends and family are approximately twice as influential across the board.”