Digital shoppers are drawn to the online marketplace for its convenience and value. Being able to see the total cost of their virtual shopping cart before checking out gives them more control and the opportunity to eliminate unnecessary purchases and stay within their budgets. Additionally, 62% of online-reliant shoppers believe online shopping saves more time than in-person shopping, while 40% say online is better than in-person at helping them discover new products.
“The recent wave of online shopping adoption and the growing variety of online methods may represent the most dramatic upheaval of the food shopping landscape we once knew,” said Leslie G. Sarasin, president and CEO of FMI. “Still, despite shoppers embracing online grocery shopping, the in-person experience is here to stay. Food is deeply personal, and many shoppers still prefer shopping in person.”
Despite the many advantages, the rise in popularity of online ordering has forced shoppers to cede some control in terms of being able to touch and choose items themselves. Nearly half of shoppers (43%) believe they get better quality products when they shop in-store, as opposed to just 17% who believe the same about online shopping. Even those who shop online at least some of the time said that 70% of their grocery trips are done in person.
The expansion of hybrid shopping presents retailers with a variety of exciting opportunities to better engage with consumers by improving and streamlining the overall shopping experience both online and in stores.
