Brand experience has entered a new phase. What people think, feel and do with your product or services no longer stays between them and their immediate circle. It travels. 

Social platforms have turned everyday customer moments into public narratives, reshaping how brands are discovered, judged and recommended. At the same time, influence is fragmenting. Smaller creators, peer voices and dedicated communities are gaining ground over traditional brand-led communications. 

The implication is straightforward. Brands are no longer the sole authors of their story. The organisations that thrive will be those that design experiences, partnerships and spaces with participation in mind, not just promotion. 

For many research participants, the typical experience can feel familiar: an unexpected survey link, a long list of questions, and little indication of what happens once “submit” is clicked. Without the right approach, research risks becoming transactional, impersonal, and disconnected—and for brands, capturing truly genuine customer insight has never been more challenging. In today’s environment, where bots and low-quality responses can undermine confidence in the data, the challenge of authenticity looms larger than ever.

A research community works very differently.

With recent headlines about ASOS closing accounts under a ‘fair use’ returns policy, our latest research provides a blueprint for retailers to navigate the fine line between customer expectation and operational sustainability—without damaging brand trust.

Free returns have become an industry norm. For many customers, they’re not a bonus feature—they’re an essential part of the online shopping experience. But behind this convenience lies a growing operational cost, fuelled by evolving customer behaviours.