December 2012
Featured in this insight: Consumer goods & FMCG , Financial services, IT & telecommunications, Retail
Consumer research sees most Britons still keen on in-store shopping over online: A survey of 1,000 UK consumers aged between 18 and 55+ has been conducted by Hitachi Consulting to research the ‘Shopping Particle’ – a term that describes the exact moment in every retail transaction when a customer makes the decision to buy a particular item from a retailer.
The study discovered that approximately two-thirds (65%) of Britons still prefer to shop in-store instead of online. Less than 20% of the respondents said that they would rather shop via the Internet, while 13% said that they prefer to use a combination of retail channels.
When asked what would tempt them to visit a retail store over an e-commerce site, over half (53%) of the surveyants said that having the items that they want in stock more consistently would be the biggest factor.
In-store boons and technology were also popular – 54% of respondents wanted to receive more personalised discounts and promotions tailored to their needs and preferences, while 40% overall and 53% of those aged 18–24 wanted kiosks, iPads, and computer terminals that allow them to check stock availability and arrange home delivery.
Furthermore, 40% of all respondents and 70% of those aged between 18 and 24 said they would like to see more self-checkout options when visiting a store.
View more of our sector specific insights: Consumer goods & FMCG, Financial services, IT & telecommunications, Retail
