It’s not e-shopping, it’s just me shopping
New global study reveals how digital is impactingthe behaviors and desires of today’s shoppers.
While it is generally accepted that 90% of those connected to the Internet have made online purchases, that’s where the generalizations must end. Digital technology has spawned a vast array of options, and shoppers are using these channels differently depending on where they live, how digitally savvy they are, what categories they are shopping, and many other variables.
This paper is the first in a series highlighting specific findings from the Connected Shopper study. It explores shopping trends online and off line and aims to:
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Identify global trends and underscore differences in digital use and shopping habits between countries
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Isolate browsing and shopping activities through digital channels, across product categories and geographies
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Highlight what shoppers want from brands in order to enhance their shopping experience
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“Omni-channel shopping” does not mean all channels all the time. It means the ability to choose the single on- or off-line channel the person wants, when they want it, according to their lifestyle and the category they are shopping
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Decisions throughout the Purchase Decision Journey are being made repeatedly and fluidly across both physical and digital spaces
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There are multiple barriers to eCommerce and mobile shopping, but there is much that brands and retailers can do to address these and provoke more online shopping for business growth
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In many fast growing markets, shoppers are online more often, making more online purchases, and integrating digital and physical retail more frequently than are shoppers in more mature markets
More specifically, we show that:
Fieldwork was managed by research house TNS and conducted via online panels using Geometry Global’s Purchase Decision Journey research methodology. More than 770 interviews (self-administered, CAWI) were completed by Internet users (above the age of 15) in each of the countries noted above. A total of 9,486 interviews were completed for this comprehensive study.
The research methodology is unique in that it allows particularly nuanced data analysis. Graphic interpretations of a shopper’s journey to purchase are generated based on the completed online surveys. Rich with contextual insight, the methodology quantifies the Purchase Decision Journey – the triggers that initiate the buying process, the digital and analog steps taken along the way, and, importantly, the points along that path that are the most critical to the purchase decision and that, if targeted, would yield the greatest impact.
Setting the scene: Six types of digital behavior
The degree to which people blend the online and off line worlds for their browsing and shopping depends largely upon how attuned to the Internet they are and to what degree they incorporate it into their lives. It’s worth noting that only 40% of current Internet users consider themselves “advanced,” while 50% are still in “learning mode.” Clearly, omni-channel shoppers require segmented solutions adapted to their digital pace and so, through this research, we identified six distinct behavior patterns that shoppers follow, ranging from least to most digital-savvy.
THE INTERNET IN OUR DAILY LIVES -
worldwide, more than half of free time is spent on the Internet
People across the globe are now spending an average of nearly four hours a day actively using the Internet for personal – not work-related – reasons. This accounts for as much as 60% of “free time” when factoring in hours for work and sleep.
Interestingly, people in economically mature markets spend less time online compared with those in emerging markets, including China, Brazil, and Russia. Poland stands out, spending the most time online of all (exceeding five hours a day), while people in France spend the least amount of time online.
Shoppers in China make twice as many purchases
Eight out of ten people who use the Internet make at least one online purchase per month, and the global average is three online purchases a month. Several fast-growing markets exceed the global average, but China’s Internet users really stand out, making nearly twice as many online purchases every month. This is likely related to the fact that the online population is highly evolved digitally, as stated above. Another driver in China could be the relatively sophisticated shopping portals that offer high value, flexibility in payment options, and an efficient delivery system.
Importantly, 68% of people across the globe “strongly agree” or “agree” that online shopping will represent an increasing share of their total shopping in the coming years.
Conclusion
Across the globe, people are increasingly integrating the online and off line worlds while they shop, but they are doing it differently depending on their life- style, what they are shopping for, and the country they live in. The path to purchase is complex, as people gather information and opinions repeatedly and fluidly in both digital and physical retail spaces.
The connected shopper wants access to all shopping channels – but not all at once. Only the right channel at the most convenient time for them. It is therefore critical to understand the variety of shopping behaviors and the touch points that impact each step. Brands and retailers have a huge opportunity to champion platforms for smart shopping, to leverage smartphones as allies, to provide personal and value-added services at the point of sale, and to create programs that facilitate the communication and opinion-seeking among peers.
The Connected Shopper, based on research conducted in 12 countries across 4 continents, attempts to understand the role that digital plays at every point along what we call the shopper’s Purchase Decision Journey, and to identify both drivers and barriers to purchase that brand marketers and retailers can affect in order to increase sales.
Geometry Global is a WPP company that delivers award-winning creativity and integrated talent across a range of disciplines including Shopper, Relationship, Promotional and Experiential, Trade and Digital Marketing. It was created in June 2013 from the merger of G2, OgilvyAction and JWTAction and is the largest and most geographically complete activation agency of its kind.
Geometry Global provides brand marketers with a unique solution called Precision Activation, a proprietary approach that identifies the exact blend of context and content that influences consumer behavior, and transforms creative ideas into business growth drivers.
With teams in 56 markets, the global network develops highly compelling marketing programs - informed by data and insights - connecting people with brands at precisely the right times, in the right places, and right ways - making a measurable difference to our clients’ business.
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Business Inquiries: steve.harding@geometry.com
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