Retail 2030: What do shoppers expect?

A new survey provides a glimpse of the type of customer experience shoppers anticipate by 2030.

 More than 80% of respondents will expect experiences curated just for them by 2030, according to the survey of 1,000 U.S.-based consumers from consumer financing company Synchrony, Interestingly, 62% of respondents believe that their shopping experience would be simpler if stores offered fewer choices.

The survey revealed several other expectations related to a more personalized experience:

• 81% of respondents expect to see a world where hyper personalization or "just for me" is rolled out by 2030; and
• 55% of respondents expressed an intent to use on-site personalization services if they were available.

Consumers also look forward to a more connected omnichannel shopping experience:

• 67% of respondents believe a world where multiple brands created joint offers would enhance their experiences across channels.
• 42% of respondents would be likely to register or participate in future experiences, where brands offer a range of connected shopping options such as an app that connects a concert ticket purchase to customer's calendar and suggests an outfit for the event and where to buy it.
• 52% of respondents said they would be interested in an in-store engagement where the associate leverages crowd-sourced ratings combined with customer preferences to deliver recommendations in real time to their phone.
• 64% of respondents believe that in the future shopping will not be an isolated activity; instead brands will reach them through separate but linked activities (e.g., social media activity linked to geo-location recommendations while out on a walk, metaverse brand interaction directing shoppers to the nearest physical location with tailored recommendations)

• 67% of respondents agreed that smart carts would enhance their lives, while 75% believe that smart carts would be a possibility and popular over the next seven years.

"Our study found that shopping does not happen in isolation, but rather with connected ecosystems driven by unique technologies that play a critical role for retailers seeking to meet these consumer demands." said Florin Arghirescu, Synchrony senior VP and chief product officer. "Synchrony is working with partners to offer curated, convenient consumer experiences whether that's enabling choice and flexibility in financing in store or online or mobile wallet provisioning for purchases on the go."

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