The COVID-19 pandemic is changing shopping habits for some. When the pandemic ends, will you still shop online?
In research entitled the 14th Annual Global Shopper Study conducted by Zebra Technologies, the answer to this question is slightly revealed. The research surveyed more than 5,000 shoppers, store staff and decision makers at retail companies around the world to gauge opinions and expectations about the current shopping experience.
Two-thirds of the survey participants said they plan to shop at the store in the next few months, most (73%) want to be able to get in and out of the store quickly.
But 65% of them are still worried about crowds, and not many believe that retailers can adhere to health and safety protocols in stores. Some of them even admitted that they did not want to go to the store to shop.
Nearly three-quarters (73%) of shoppers prefer having their groceries delivered instead of being picked up at a store or other location. And more than three-quarters (77%) say they have ordered via mobile, with more than half of Boomers taking advantage of mobile commerce (m-commerce) options.
As many as 35% of Boomers (Generation X) also said they have used mobile applications to shop for daily necessities or order food.
Interestingly, shoppers also find out the price of the product (50%) online before they leave the house. And nearly a third check store inventory before they leave home, an increase from 19% in 2019.
New Omnichannel Shopping Behavior Hits Shopping Activities in Stores
A third of consumers say they use their mobile device to search for more competitive prices or browse online websites for products when they want to shop.
More than 70% of shoppers confirmed that they recently left the store without getting anything they wanted, and nearly half stated that they canceled an in-store purchase because it was out of stock.
Similarly, 58% of shoppers say they get information on a smartphone faster than asking store staff for help, and most shop staff (64%) agree.
Various findings in Zebra's 14th Global Shopper Study have presented data that is very crucial in helping retail businesses plan their business strategies going forward.
It is very important for retail businesses to digitize quickly and with the right technologies such as the CS60 scanner, RFID Mobile Reader RFD40, and the TC52ax mobile computer, to enhance the shopping experience and meet consumers' needs for an omnichannel shopping experience today.