The internet has been an unstoppable force when it comes to changing the way people communicate, work, play and shop. And though the internet can be seen applied in just about any industry, certain sectors have seen slower growth. One such area is online grocery sales, where a variety of factors have prevented people from adopting the service as readily as other online services. One way retailers can increase their online grocery shopping revenue is by appealing to the reasons people shop online. A recent study from Savvy show why consumers choose to shop online for groceries, and how this information can be used to help retailers.
Savvy recently released a report that found people were more concerned about convenience than price. The report examining online grocery shopper trends not only questioned 1,000+ online shoppers about their purchasing habits and attitudes, but also involved a programme of accompanied shops, each fully eye tracked and supported with in-depth interviews.
The study found that there were three major factors reported when consumers were asked about why they chose to shop for groceries online. Three out of four (74%) of respondents cited convenience as their primary motivation to shop for groceries online. This is up from 55 percent in 2012.
About one in five (19%) stated their motives for online grocery shopping were related to price and budgeting reasons. The only other comments that got any significant response was an increased variety and selection, which was cited by 3 percent of those survey and a 4 percent cited “other” reasons.
More than a third of consumers used online grocery stores at least once a quarter. Specifically, the researchers reported that 39 percent of shoppers shop for groceries online at least once every three months.
“The report findings indicate that the online grocery market is amidst a period of substantial change,” wrote Alistair Lockhart in a blog post announcing the research. “As a result Savvy expects to witness a new wave of market growth over the next few years shifting the way shoppers behave, not only online, but instore too.”
Savvy is a british company and so were the survey respondents, which limits the generalizations that can be made for American retailers. However, there have been several other studies that show online groceries sales are on the rise in North America. And since consumer attitudes in the U.S. are similar to those of consumers across the pond, it’s at least fair to say that American consumers are also looking for convenience in their online grocery shopping experience.
The report gave some insight into the behavior of online grocery shoppers that can help businesses create better marketing and ad campaigns. The researchers found that nearly three out of five (59%) of online grocery shoppers write a list before shopping. Two thirds (66%) do their online shopping from the living room. One out of five (20%) do it from the kitchen and just 6 percent do it in their bedrooms.
There are also reasons for online grocery retailers to use an integrated marketing campaign that covers TV, social media, mobile and more. One reason is that 73 percent of these shoppers use Facebook. One in four (25%) prefer to shop using a smartphone or tablet and 23 percent watch television whilst shopping. And as a reason to try remarketing, 53 percent of these shoppers add to their baskets over multiple sessions.
The data from the Savvy study gives business owners and marketers a lot to think about when it comes to preparing campaigns for online grocery shoppers. This market is going to grow, so the retailers that effectively reach online grocery shoppers first can establish a strong customer base before their competitors.
Read this article with 10 more statistics about the internet and grocery sales.