Survey: Omnichannel grocery shoppers want more from the store experience
The vast majority of omnichannel grocery shoppers are still visiting the physical store on a weekly basis, but many have their complaints about the grocery sector.
That’s according to data from experience agency ChangeUp, which found that grocery shoppers who buy items both online and in-store make up 47% of grocery users, compared to 53% who strictly visit the physical stores. Omnichannel shoppers tend to be younger, with 61% in the age 25-44 range.
More than three-quarters (77%) of omnichannel shoppers visit the grocery store weekly, while 40% go multiple times per week. Seventy-two percent of them say they use the physical store for “stock-up trips.” Looking ahead, nearly a third (32%) say they expect to buy more items at the physical store over the next two to three years.
Despite omnichannel shoppers’ strong reliance on the physical grocery store, they are not without their criticisms. ChangeUp’s survey found that nearly six-in-10 (59%) omnichannel shoppers feel the in-store experience has stagnated or worsened over the past two years. Forty-three percent say that physical stores are not living up to their full potential, and nearly half say they find grocery shopping “unexciting.”
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Almost a third (30%) of omnichannel shoppers agree that collectively, leading grocery chain stores are not modern. Only nineteen percent say that grocery stores are being innovative, and only 18% describe them as exciting.
Many shoppers express a desire for grocery shopping to be more like shopping for fun or nonessential items, such as clothes, electronics, or even vacations. More than six-in-10 (62%) omnichannel shoppers want easier ways to find items in the store, and more than half (56%) want more technology to make in-store shopping faster and more efficient. Nearly six-in-10 (57%) wish the store was more informative about products.
To remedy these complaints, ChangeUp says that journey-based store planning, data-driven personalization, multi-use space design and adaptation to evolving needs are all solutions grocers should look at.
"While grocery stores have traditionally aimed to serve everyone, this broad approach is no longer sufficient in today's rapidly evolving retail landscape," says Bill Chidley, executive director of strategy at ChangeUp. "Consumers who seamlessly switch between online and in-store shopping, demand dynamic, value-adding experiences that complement their digital habits and provide compelling reasons to visit physical locations. The possibilities for the grocery industry, and all sectors for that matter, are limitless when it comes to transforming and innovating the in-store experience."
ChangeUp conducted the survey on 800 people across the United States.
