Customers are more likely to forgive high prices over a bad customer experience: study

Shoppers may forgive high prices, but poor customer experience…is far less negotiable. Havas CX’s X Index Report suggests consumers are now more likely to walk away over how a brand makes them feel than how much it charges.

The global study, which surveyed more than 59,000 consumers across eight countries, found that 59% of shoppers reported “abandoning a brand” after a single bad experience, compared to 55% who said they’ve left due to price increases, signaling that experience quality now outweighs cost sensitivity.

And when it comes to what defines a seamless customer experience, consistency tops the list. Uniform experiences across physical and digital channels ranked as a leading driver in markets including the UK (25%), the US (22%), and Germany (21%).

Personalization and emotional connection also played an outsized role. Emotional factors accounted for 34% of total CX performance, closely surpassing functional factors (33%), and underscoring that how a brand makes customers feel can matter as much as how efficiently it operates.

“In today’s environment, customer expectations are higher than ever before,” David Shulman, Global CEO of Havas CX, said in a statement. “For brands, loyalty can only be earned by delivering unwavering consistency, authentic personal connection, and experiences that create lasting emotional memories.”

Other research points in the same direction. A recent PwC report found that roughly 80% of US consumers value speed, convenience, knowledgeable help, and friendly service as core components of a good customer experience.

And if that isn’t convincing enough, just know the payoff can be long term. A previous study from Zeno Group revealed that 72% of American shoppers would remain loyal to retailers they love, even if it meant paying more for their products.