August 30, 2020

A recent report from Periscope by McKinsey, titled Retail reimagined: The new era for customer experience, sheds light on the rapid transformation of the retail world following a survey of thousands of shoppers in the US, the UK, France, and Germany. The report confirms the accelerated change in behavior we’ve all been experiencing lately, but also includes a few rather surprising facts. In this article, I would like to focus on a few valuable insights for retailers specializing in the grocery vertical. Let’s get started, shall we? 

People are more open to trying new things right now

Perhaps it is the deep change in our current needs, or maybe it’s because nothing feels certain at the moment, but 40% of shoppers around the world gave new brands and retailers a shot lately. In the US market the numbers are even more astonishing, reaching 46%. 

A number of factors were responsible for shoppers’ decision to try new items and brands, including pricing and product availability, but 21% of US customers stated that relevant promotions and content were a major influence. 

We can clearly see that content makes a difference. Retailers working with a number of brands should encourage them to create online campaigns to introduce new products and invite customers to give them a go. 

E-commerce is (obviously) booming, but it has to be done properly

During the outbreak, every survey and research in the world showed increased online shopping activity. According to McKinsey’s report, one of the top three categories that experienced the most significant change is grocery, mainly in the US. 

When asked which factors helped create a positive online shopping experience, survey participants in all the countries chose clear product descriptions and images as leading elements, and the importance of content increased by 12-23% compared to pre-pandemic results.

The lesson here is that simply creating an app isn’t enough. Investing in great content and an appetizing visual experience will take customers’ journey from OK to great. As for informative content, keep in mind that personalized text and images help make sure that specific groups will find just the information they’re looking for. 

In-store mobile use is becoming more important, but not more visible 

When it comes to in-store mobile use, the report showed increased interest from shoppers who wish to utilize technology when visiting stores, but also insufficient adoption and encouragement on retailers’ end. Despite shoppers’ desire to use mobile solutions for payments, preorders, browsing, and more, more than 35% said that they failed to see any of these options in the stores they visit. Even brands and retailers that actually offer these technologies to their target audience forgot to let them know about it.   

We learn once again about the importance of synergy between different channels. The mobile commerce experience should not be disconnected from physical in-store visits. It should enhance them and be present enough for customers to discover the store’s online channels.  

An important part of our mission is simply hearing customers out. It’s all about listening to what they have to say and coming up with new ways to cater to their needs. I hope that the above insights I’ve learned from McKinsey’s latest report enriched your knowledge, and would love to help you turn them into a wonderful mobile shopping journey for your customers together with the shelfy.io team.