Nearly two thirds of people agree that they have changed their shopping behaviours due to Covid-19 and a quarter of people are now shopping for day-to-day items online more often, a report by Dentsu Ireland indicates. While there has been a significant pivot to online retail, shopping for day-to-day items has remained mainly in-store, particularly fresh produce.
Groceries, toiletries, and alcohol remain purchases which most people still buy predominantly instore, a recent survey of over 1,000 Irish adults showed. Although 14 per cent of adults think that their shopping will be online after the pandemic, it is a substantial increase on the less than one in 20 people that previously did their shopping for day-to-day items online.
Those who have started online shopping more frequently during the pandemic are also more likely to continue. Three in four people who have moved their shopping for day-to-day items online due to the pandemic and they say they will continue to shop online rather than going physically in store, Dentsu’s strategic consulting director, Dael Wood (above), said.
Motivations
Currently, over a quarter of people are motivated to shop online due to a fear of Covid (27 cent cent) or a desire to avoid people and/or enclosed spaces (one in four) which makes the changes retailers have made important. The changes which meant the most to consumers were visible hand sanitiser stations (81 per cent) and staff wearing masks (76 per cent).
Some 40 per cent felt that the specialised times for older shoppers or frontline workers was one of the most meaningful changes that has been made. Convenience remains a top motivator to shop online (40 per cent), while “enjoyment browsing a supermarket’s website” is on par with “fear of Covid” (27 per cent respectively) are also motivating shoppers. Being able to see or feel products is a motivator for over half of consumers (56 per cent) to shop in store.
There is an opportunity to find new ways to connect with shoppers in a digital space to improve their experience and drive digital growth. Nearly half of people (49 per cent) would shop online more if they were able to order free samples of day-to-day items.
Winners
Looking instore, supermarkets are in relatively tight competition with Dunnes (25 per cent), Aldi (21 per cent) and Tesco (19 per cent) voted best for groceries in store. The picture shifts online, with Tesco preferred by one in three, followed by one in 10 choosing SuperValu. However, nearly half of people said that they had never used a supermarket’s online offering.
Implications
Covid-19 and the closure of most retail has caused shoppers to pivot online. Sales of day-to-day items, including groceries, toiletries and alcohol, have remained mainly instore, but retailers in this space are not immune to this online shift. A much greater proportion of shoppers have bought groceries online during the pandemic, especially shoppers under 35.
Grocery stores have made many positive changes for instore shoppers, but the convenience of online shopping means those who have started online shopping more frequently during the pandemic are also more likely to continue. Although Dunnes is currently seen as best in store, Tesco are streets ahead of competitors for their online experience.
The past year has seen a lot of retailers experimenting with online shopping solutions, with many having to reinvent their business model overnight. There are a host of creative online shopping solutions being explored by retailers as the economy reopens. Seeing which solutions stay and how shoppers change their behaviour will be interesting to watch. Although nearly half of respondents said that they had not used a supermarket’s online offering, many would be encouraged if they could order free samples remotely.
