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SHOPPING BEHAVIOUR
More than half of consumers happy with online shopping experience
By our News Team | 2021
Nielsen study gives a worldwide overview of customer experiences when shopping online and in-store, with online a clear winner during Covid.
More than half (53%) of consumers worldwide say they have felt positive about their experience in e-commerce stores since the Covid-19 pandemic began.
In comparison, just 18% of shoppers have felt positive about their in-store experience.
Consumers are more satisfied with their experience when shopping online than in-store, according to data from consumer goods data and analytics provider NielsenIQ. Instead, 42% have felt negatively about their experience in physical stores compared to just 9% for e-commerce.
E-commerce has the largest lead over in-store retail among ‘newly constrained’ consumers. This category includes those who have a worsening financial situation and are consciously watching what they buy and how much they now spend.
Photo by Marcel Strauss at Unsplash
The number of consumers identified by NielsenIQ as ‘newly constrained’ doubled from 23% to 46% in the four months between September and December last year, during the worst of the pandemic.
This led them to consciously watch what they spend. The figure is likely to have increased in 2021, as any available in-country economic stimulus packages and retrenchment-protection schemes came to an end.
In-store retail needs to have a purpose
‘Insulated cautious’ consumers are most positive about both in-store and online retail. This group covers those who have had a limited impact on their financial situation. They are nonetheless still watching what they spend, and a quarter (26%) of this group have felt positive about their in-store shopping experience, while a much higher 63% have felt optimistic about their e-commerce experience.
As e-commerce has grown rapidly, in-store retail needs to have a purpose beyond shopping in order to connect with customers, Nielsen says. Using the physical space for social content and experiences could be one successful strategy. Linking this with an online selling strategy is also fundamental, as the two are not separate.
As a result, marketers will need to ensure brand consistency across their multiple selling channels. Rethinking the role of brand-building in digital commerce will also be a key challenge.
Source: NielsenIQ
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