Research Topic

Consumers are growing increasingly comfortable using connected devices for daily tasks — and shopping is not far behind.    As more devices connect to chatbots and virtual assistants, an increasing number of consumers are ready to embrace the automation and convenience delivered by IoT technologies. Nearly half of consumers (48%) said they would feel comfortable with a connected device, such as a refrigerator, ordering items on their behalf.  

Unfazed by store closures, shoppers plan to get most of their holiday shopping done in-store this year.    Nearly three-quarters of consumers (71%) plan to do the majority of their holiday shopping in physical stores — the same percentage from a similar poll a year ago. Additionally, the vast majority (88%) plan to at least visit stores this holiday season.  

Despite the rise of electronic, mobile and contactless payments, physical currency remains a favored choice for consumers in the United States.   This was according to “In Cash Consumers Trust. But How Do Retailers Make it Pay?,” a report from cash technology solutions provider Glory. The study is based on responses from 1,500 consumers in the U.S., U.K. and Australia.  

More and more Americans plan to get an early start on their holiday shopping. And they also plan on spending more.    Nearly half (45%) of Americans plan to start holiday shopping before November, with one in four starting before October, according to RetailMeNot's 2017 Holiday Retail Trends and Guide. Retailers are capitalizing on this earlier start: Nearly 80% indicated they will begin holiday marketing efforts earlier this year.   

Hurricanes Harvey and Harvey had a similar impact on retail sales and the toll was significant on online spending as well as spending in physical stores.  

Merchants’ fraud costs are a growing expense — and the pace shows no sign of slowing.   Fraud losses and management eat 8% of the average e-commerce retailer’s revenue, up from 7.6% in 2016, according to “2017 Financial Impact of Fraud Study: Exploring the Financial Impact of Fraud in a Digital World.” The report is from Vesta Corp. and Javelin Strategy & Research.  

If traditional supermarket retailers want to become online destinations for grocery, they need to step up their digital shopping experiences.   In fact, shoppers rated their overall satisfaction ordering food and grocery items online highest with Amazon (4.63 on a five-point scale where five is highest), followed by Walmart (4.41). Supermarkets/food stores trailed behind with a rating of 4.32.