[Reputation Risk] Nearly 30% Cancel Purchases or Switch Brands Due to Negative Online Information

Net Fuhyo-higai Taisaku Co., Ltd. (Shibuya, Tokyo) conducted a comprehensive survey of 5,063 men and women aged 20-60 nationwide regarding information-gathering behavior and reputation risks when researching companies or services.

### Executive Summary The core question of this survey is: "Does negative online information still drive consumer purchasing and contracting behavior?" The answer is a clear YES.

The results show that approximately half (45.1%) of consumers who encounter negative information downgraded their impression of the company, and nearly 30% reported "direct churn behavior" such as canceling purchases, switching to competitors, or passing on contracts.

Traditional info routes centered on search engines (64.6% usage) remain the core of corporate evaluation. Measures to counter negative info appearing there—namely Reverse SEO—are reaffirmed as a fundamental practice for brand protection in 2026. Additionally, the survey captured the emergence of Generative AI search as a new channel. 28.6% of respondents use Generative AI for company research, and 15.9% experienced a "worsened" impression after seeing AI responses, surpassing the 12.5% who reported an improvement.

AI is adding a new source of reputation beyond traditional SEO domains. Companies now require a "Double Defense": 1) continuing thorough Reverse SEO on traditional search results, and 2) adding Reverse AI search/LLM/GEO measures to monitor and correct how they are portrayed in AI responses.

### 5 Key Findings 1. 45.1% of consumers seeing negative info reported an "impact (worsened impression)." Nearly 1 in 2 people actually lowered their evaluation. 2. After seeing negative info, 13.7% switched brands, 9.4% canceled purchases, and 6.1% passed on contracts. Total direct churn reached nearly 30%. 3. Search engines remain the dominant information source (64.6%). The search results page is still the primary battlefield for reputation management. 4. Most trusted sources: Search engines (38.7%), Official corporate sites (18.8%). Negative info in search results is highly trusted and causes significant damage. 5. 15.9% experienced a worsened impression via AI answers. Measures against AI search, LLMO, and GEO are now essential.

### Survey Overview - Target: 5,063 men and women aged 20-60 nationwide - Period: April 2026 - Method: Internet research - Conducted by: Net Fuhyo-higai Taisaku Co., Ltd.

### Churn Behavior Linked to Revenue 51.3% of people did not change their behavior after seeing negative info, meaning 48.7% *did* change their behavior in some way. Specifically, 29.2% engaged in revenue-impacting churn (Switching: 13.7% + Cancellation: 9.4% + Passing: 6.1%). Furthermore, 23.0% of consumers took proactive "fact-checking" actions to verify negative information, showing a more active approach to corporate data.