Our Xmas edition of the Marketing Research Seminar Series brought together three presentations that offered timely insights into how consumers interact with digital environments.

Andreas Bayerl opened the session by discussing why so many online reviews are started but never completed, and how this pattern shapes what platforms ultimately display. His findings highlighted how perceptions of effort and privacy concerns influence review behavior, and how small design decisions can meaningfully reduce abandonment.

Next, Maximilian Beichert presented research on the long-term effects of influencer-driven purchases. His work showed that customers who first engage with a brand through influencers often develop stronger buying patterns, offering a fresh perspective on how influencer marketing can shape customer value beyond the initial transaction.

Finally, Marton Varga examined the role of product videos in online shopping. His presentation shed light on when videos effectively support consumer decisions and how differences across product types and emerging AI-generated features matter for their impact.

Together, the three talks highlighted how digital touchpoints—reviews, influencers, and product media—shape consumer behavior in subtle but important ways. A great close to the year, and many thanks to our speakers for sharing their work with the MRSS community.