5 Retail Trends Impacting Customer Behaviour
We live in extraordinary times. While conventional wisdom pointed to a significant economic recovery after the challenges of the pandemic, a different picture has emerged as we look to the Autumn. The cost of living crisis is impacting everyone and has dramatically impacted the willingness of consumers to engage in discretionary spending.
Recent events have proved that markets can shift in an instant, and reacting to these effectively can be the difference between keeping or losing customer loyalty. It means working harder than ever to understand the trends that are impacting behavior. But after the horrors of lockdown, retailers with the right smart strategies can emerge from this bumpy road back to a more normal trading environment.
It is key to utilise opportunities across store and ecommerce to ensure your offering is ahead of the game as we look forward to the golden quarter. So what are we seeing that is worth consideration? I think there are five key trends impacting behaviour in the second half of the year.
1. The Inflation Era Shows No Sign Of Abating
We are living in an era with the highest level of inflation since the 1970s. This has been driven by pent-up consumer demand after the pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. According to the most recent BRC-NielsenIQ Shop Price Index data, shop prices hit their highest point of inflation since 2008 as the balancing act between supply chain costs and a cost conscious consumer continues. For July, Shop price inflation soared by 4.4%, up from 3.1% in June,
Consumer concerns regarding the cost of living cannot go ignored by retailers and brands. Intelligent pricing strategies are a key priority, as well as ensuring your customer journey is quality enough to capture a consumer willing to shop around.
2. Customers Being More Canny With Considered Purchases
In this inflationary world consumers are needing to think very hard about big ticket items. Particularly when looking ahead to further energy price rises in the Autumn. This is having a noticeable impact on existing sales. There was a 4% MoM decline in global smartphone shipments according to the latest Counterpoint research market review. This represents the second consecutive month of MoM decline, along with being the 11th consecutive result showing YoY sales decline.
Despite many ongoing success stories, the overall market has yet to reach pre-pandemic levels. While component shortages have been partially sorted; inflation, a slowdown in China, and the war in Ukraine have all affected recent demand.
With smartphone upgrades being a discretionary purchase it is incumbent that retailers focus on the value of any big ticket items. For appliance manufacturers emphasising the ability to help save energy and costs can be key. With running costs becoming of more interest, consumers will be looking at eco-credentials for new appliances, as well as potentially opting for better quality units that will stand the test of time.
3. Personalisation and Experience Key to Driving Return Visits
There is also an expectation of quality customer service and personalisation. Something that will please consumers and drive up the chances of a return visit, whether that is online or physical store. Research commissioned by Gekko last year found that the top factors driving sales were experience related. This includes the ‘ability to see and touch a product’, and expert, tailored advice.
Empowering the consumer through increased personalisation is vital, particularly as 80% say they would only shop with a business that embraces it. It is the ability to differentiate in today’s environment that will mark out success from failure.
People now have an elevated expectation of their shopping experience, looking for curated, one-to-one engagements at various stages of their journey. Such interactions breed brand loyalty and recognition, meaning you can count on people coming back for more if they enjoy their time with you. Recent research by MoEngage found that only 25% of retailers currently personalise their communications with their customers, so there is a real opportunity to get ahead of the curve.
4. Embracing Omnichannel and New Tech
2022 has seen a return to steady growth for ecommerce in conjunction with the full return of bricks and mortar footfall. With both channels set to grow sales this year after the end of lockdowns, it becomes more important than ever to ensure your omnichannel presence is informative and engaging.
The proportion of retail sales online was 26.6% in May 2022 and remains substantially higher than the 19.7% in February 2020 before the coronavirus pandemic. Research we commissioned last year also showed 80% of consumers would now research online before buying an item instore. It is crucial to ensure you have a seamless and joined up journey across your various touchpoints.
5. Sustainability and Ethics
This continues to be a top consideration for consumers when it comes to choosing both how they shop and who with.
According to Deloitte’s latest Sustainable Consumer research, environmental awareness amongst UK consumers has rocketed in the past year with 85% now making more sustainable lifestyle choices. The findings revealed a strong desire to adopt more circular practices, such as buying products in sustainable packaging.
Credentials need to be backed up and also authentic, an increasingly savvy market will disengage otherwise.
So the road ahead may be bumpy but with the right map retailers and brands can navigate through the difficulties. Understanding the consumers’ specific needs is key to ensure retailers can be back in the driving seat for the second half of the year.
Article by Rupert Cook, Marketing Director, Gekko
