5 Facts About Improving Customers Shopping Experience

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According to The Store of the Future research conducted by Phononic, "Eighty-nine percent of Americans (89%) reported they want to shop in a grocery store that understands how to make buying an easier, more efficient experience." Brick-and-mortar supermarkets have massive potential to explore the use of new technologies – especially when it comes to shopping experience. But what does an easier, more efficient experience mean?

These are five facts of what consumers are looking for in their favorite grocery store, as of 2018-2019, collected from different sources.

Consumers Don’t Want to Stand in Line

But don’t go to stores to avoid people. There’s a big difference between saying you don’t want to interact with a store employee vs. interact with a store employee who is informed ... store employees have been under-trained and under-supported for long. Can be a win-win for retailers and consumers: saving consumers time by not having to rebag everything or stand in line.

Desire for a More Modern, Tech-Savvy Grocer

"Grocers can start by making it easier for shoppers to find specific items they’re looking for. This category seems to carry a great deal of weight with respondents, with 85% saying stores should make it easier for them to find things. They also want to see more items paired together, like chips and dip or wine and cheese."

Time Constraints and a Greater Affinity for Convenience

“'Consumers are increasingly looking for convenience and unique shopping experiences, as well as deals and coupons,' Curtis Tingle, chief marketing officer of Livonia, Mich.-based Valassis, said in a statement. 'Brands and retailers that offer these dimensions of value on a consistent basis across a multitude of channels will ultimately see the greatest ROI.'”

A Curated Experience

"As a retailer, you should "focus on creating a carefully curated experience offering the best of the best.  Highlight your selections and emphasize your picks [and] advise customers on their purchases."

Tech-Savvy Grocers

"For traditional grocery stores in this competitive landscape, the path to differentiation is digital. According to a recent Deloitte survey, 33% of grocery shoppers already say that digital tools make grocery shopping easier—a statistic that will only increase as physical and digital grocery experiences continue to converge."

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