Study on the coverage, functioning and consumer use of comparison tools and third-party verification schemes for such tools : Final report

In March 2013 the Report from the Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue on Comparison Tools was presented at the European Consumer Summit. The report highlighted challenges and shortcomings in the functioning of comparison tools, particularly with regards to the transparency and impartiality of comparisons, the quality of information provided, the comprehensiveness and user-friendliness of comparison tools, the reliability of user reviews, consumer redress and enforcement of existing provisions. In September 2013, Ipsos, London Economics and Deloitte were commissioned to conduct a study on the comparison tool sector in order to: Explore consumer behavioural patterns in the use of comparison tools and their influence on consumers’ decision-making; Conduct an extensive mapping exercise of the comparison tools available in the EU accompanied by a survey on consumer perception and experience of comparison tools (analysis by sector and by country); Carry-out an analysis of existing accreditation and trustmark schemes for comparison tools; Highlight how improvements can be made to ensure comparison tools are reliable, transparent and user-friendly and benefit consumers.

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Year of publication:	2014
Institutions:	ECME Consortium ; Europäische Kommission / Consumers, Health, Agriculture and Food Executive Agency (contributor) ; DELOITTE (contributor)
Subject:	Beratung \| counseling \| Beratungsmethode \| counseling technique \| Bewertung \| evaluation \| EU \| Verbraucher \| consumer \| Verbraucherberatung \| consumer counseling \| Verbraucherschutz \| consumer protection

Executive summary
1 Introduction and background
2 Methodology
2.1 Mapping and evaluation of comparison tools
2.1.1 Identification of comparison tools
2.1.2 Notes on search strings
2.1.3 Evaluation of the comparison tools
2.1.4 Limits to the approach to the evaluation of the comparison tools
2.2 Methodology for mapping Third-Party Verification Schemes
.2.1 Mapping and analysis of Third-Party Verification Schemes
2.2.2 Limits of the evaluation of Third-Party Verification Schemes
2.3 Methodology for consultation with stakeholders
2.4 Methodology of the consumer survey
2.5 Behavioural experiments
2.5.1 Experiment 1
2.5.2 Experiment 2
2.5.3 Experiment 3
2.6 Methodology of the mystery shopping exercise
2.6. Markets and countries covered in the exercise
2.6.2 Type of research
2.6.3 Number of price comparisons websites and mystery shops
2.6.4 Supplier website visits
2.6.5 Personalised pricing
2.6.6 Analysis of the results of the mystery shopping exercise
3 General perception of comparison tools
3.1 Usage and perception of comparison tools
3.1.1 E-commerce shortfalls
3.1.2 Comparison tool shortfalls
3.2 Decision-making biases and consumer behaviour in the context of comparison tools
4 Mapping of comparison tools and third-party verification schemes
4.1 Results from the mapping exercise
4.1.1 Breakdown of multi-sector comparison tools by sector combination
4.1.2 What do these results tell us about the commercial aspects of comparison tools?
4.1.3 Whooperates comparison tool websites, and what do they do?
4.1.4 Ranking values given on comparison tools
4.1.5 Important consumer information available on comparison tools
4.1.6 The great unknowns
4.2 Further analysis of comparison tool revenue streams and sourcing of data
4.2.1 Revenue streams
4.2.2 Sourcing of data
4.2.3 Summary

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