Consumers want brands that provide consistent quality, a study based on a Roper Reports survey found. Prior experience with a brand tops the list when deciding whether to buy something, so a first impression is a lasting one for consumers. Past experience remains the top-ranked factor, as it has been in all 10 readings taken since 1975, the study said. It lost ground during the experimental years of the late 1990s and early 2000s but has returned to a level more typical of earlier years, with 83 percent saying it's among the most important factors in their brand decisions. The analysis is based largely on a GfK Roper Reports U.S. in-person survey of 2,002 adult Americans conducted in August and September. The experiences of others and their recommendations are crucial as well. Word of mouth is more important than it's been since the late 1980s, the report found. Quality is growing more important, too. Consumers will buy things from brand