Shopper Culture

When Robots Smile...

Recently, the planners at Integer got together for lunch and ended up at a restaurant that just implemented a tablet system, which displays your menu options, takes your orders, and even your payment. It essentially cuts out the wait staff. Well the story goes that even us planners had a hard time figuring it out, so much so that we asked for the print menus and help. Adoption takes time.

But that is not my point. As we were waited on by actual humans, I noticed the emotion that the staff brought in. A smile. A joke. An endearing sigh at the failed technology before us. I was truly relieved by this injection of the human soul, something technology can’t provide. For now at least…

There is an apparent limit to replacing humans with technology beyond adoption: an engaging experience. Though it may not necessarily be a limit in all situations. A convenience store that serves breakfast burritos during morning rush hour may benefit from the speedy automation that a tablet will bring. However, when asking for a bottle of wine at dinner, I will prefer the experience of having a human smile at me…

So let’s not be too hasty to adopt every hot technology trend without determining whether it would build on or detract from how we experience a brand. For this restaurant, I urge them to get their money back.

Photo Source: iphonetoolbox.com

The Checkout: Beauty Edition

The Checkout: Beauty Edition explores how female shoppers interact with the beauty category and dives into the nuances of specific product types. The report analyzes which products women deem essential, their brand loyalty versus exploratory behaviors, and how they research the category. For instance, women claim to go straight to the store when they need to make a purchase, but they do in fact research the category online (i.e., beauty blogs)—just in a more ongoing and recreational mind-set. As marketers, how can we make it easier for them to jump from consumer to shopper mode while they engage with the beauty category in the Pre-Tail^® phase?

To read more about how women shop the beauty category, click here for the latest edition of The Checkout. Or here to explore pasts issues of The Checkout.

DIY Gift Packs Balance Convenience and Personalization

Gift packs come in many shapes and sizes. The come in variations for him, for her and for nearly any occasion. And though gift packs are convenient for shoppers they often lack a level of personalization that I personally like about gift giving, until now.

While checking out the latest packaging trends in store I came across an interesting Butter London gift pack that asked shoppers to add their own touch—inviting them to select the fourth and final product to complete the set (see picture at right). This fun, DIY gift pack balances convenience and personalization, which I think is important when it comes to gift packs because creating one from scratch can be very intimidating or difficult for many shoppers.

Making easy to select and/or assemble gift packs is particularly helpful this time of year when kids are shopping for Mother's Day and Father's Day gifts. What other shoppers do you think value the ease and convenience of gift packs?

Memorial Day Kicks Off Summer of Healthier Grilling

More than two-thirds (68%) of consumers celebrate Memorial Day by lighting up the grill, according to the 24th annual Weber GrillWatch survey. As shoppers prepare for the holiday, retailers offer solutions such as featuring BBQ necessities for a day of grilling with a group. Offering endcaps for shoppers convenience encourages stock up in preparation for summer holidays.

Looking forward, the Fourth of July (86%) and Labor Day (75%) are the two holidays that rank above Memorial Day for grilling. Marketers should note changes in grilling behavior; the GrillWatch survey states that 61 percent of grillers reported changing their grilling style in the past year. The number one change is more consumers are focusing on healthier grilling habits, such as grilling vegetables or opting for leaner meats and poultry. As marketers, how can we incorporate trend information to make our shopper solutions more sophisticated? 

Contributed by Jillian Kyle and Molly Paskal

Photo Source: Men's Fitness

Brand Experiences Come to Life at the Sweets and Snacks Expo

Walking into the 2013 Sweets and Snacks Expo was eye-popping fun. The Expo was full of color, design, giant characters, and treats to taste. But, while the Expo was not lacking in variety, popular trends could be detected at the show. Innovation and health and wellness were brought to life through a sense of discovery, which allowed attendees to truly experience differences across brands.

Innovation Alley was home to unique treats including peppermint-chocolate flavored popcorn from 479° Popcorn or the reverse popcorn flavored chocolate from Chuao Chocolatier®. The combination of different flavors and sampling showcased how manufacturers are using temptation and taste to encourage exploration and discovery.

The shift to a more health-conscious culture was also popular at the Expo. The sweets and snacks category is helping shoppers tap in to healthier options—despite that it’s a category not typically described as healthy—by labeling products with key words such as non-GMO, gluten-free, and allergen-free and always allowing the option for miniature sized bars and bags so consumers can indulge with less guilt.

Through innovation, taste, texture, and brand presentation, the Sweets and Snacks Expo attendees were able to experience brands first hand. It will be interesting to see how these manufacturers continue to bring their brands to life in store to maintain the stopping power at shelf that they had at the Expo. Have you been tempted by a new flavor in store lately?

Myth or Truth? Don’t Grocery Shop on an Empty Stomach

With the proliferate amount of weight loss advice circulating in the media today it can be confusing for shoppers to know what to believe. “Don’t skip meals!”, “Hunger may actually be thirst!”, “Don’t grocery shop on an empty stomach!” — we often hear these age-old pieces of advice, but are any of them actually true?

Two researchers at Cornell University decided to put the old adage “don’t grocery shop on an empty stomach” to the test. They wanted to know, is it actually detrimental to those looking to cut calories and loose weight?

They conducted a study with two different shopper groups, one group had not eaten for five hours and the other group ate a snack right before grocery shopping. They found that both groups bought a comparable quantity of groceries, however those who shopped while hungry did indeed pick more high-calorie foods. This helps explain the compulsion we often have around the checkout section of the store. At the end of our shopping trip we are at our weakest (tired and hungry) and have one more chance to reach for a calorie dense, pick-me-up snack such as candy or soda. Even if you have a shopping list to help keep your trip on task, chances are you will deviate from it to satisfy your rumbling stomach. 

Article Source: New York Times 

Photo Source: ABC News 

 

Mother's Day: Celebrating All the Mothers in Your Life

Mother’s Day has traditionally been thought of as a day to celebrate your mom. But increasingly, consumers are seeing the day as a chance to show their appreciation for all the special women in their lives who are mothers. Mothercare, a UK-based retailer, created a Facebook video showcasing the average mom’s point of view of the special day:

“It is a day set aside to dedicate and honor the women that give us so much love.”

This expansion of celebration is evident in shopper behavior and spending. According to Forbes, 23.5 percent of Mother’s Day spending will be on wives, 10.5 percent on daughters, 8.5 percent on grandmothers, and 8.2 percent on sisters. 

Retail is responding to this shift. For instance, while Ann Taylor Loft touts its Mother’s Day Must-Haves, they also remind shoppers of all the special women in their lives. As greeting cards are a common gift, retailers are expanding their collection to offer options for different recipients (e.g., aunt, sister, goddaughter). As marketers, we have to consider for whom shoppers are buying when we message around Mother’s Day.

 

Contributed by Jillian Kyle and Molly Paskal

Turning Up The Lights May Turn Up Sales

I recently came across an interesting study released on the Social Science Research Network by an academic team led by Kyle B. Murray of the University of Alberta in Canada. The study reports that the weather affects shoppers' moods and ultimately their spending habits. For instance, shoppers that were questioned while being exposed to a sun lamp were willing to pay more (21% to 56% more for some items, in fact) compared to shoppers that were questioned in settings without a sun lamp.

Now, this got me thinking. How does this play out in the retail setting? We cannot control the weather but we can control the retail environment. Perhaps retailers can boost sales by bringing "good weather" inside. The research team susggests that installing bright lighting may help brighten shoppers' temperament (and spending). Or to push that thinking even further, perhaps retailers could install large windows or fake good weather inside with natural elements. We see nods to nature in retail settings today from soft curves to organic materials and bright colors. In fact, the Retail Design Institute noted that biomimicry was a major trend in retail design this past year during their presentation at GlobalShop. Another trend; monochromatic. We see a lot of all white spaces. It really helps brighten the room and make the product pop.

So, in a world of retail renovation and innovation, consider what you could do to bring the "good weather" indoors. It may boost your sales.

Photo Source: Retail Design Institute

Collecting Shopper Data for the Shopper

73% of smartphone owners are concerned about personal data collection. 55% are wary of sharing information about their location. (NielsenWire.com)

That’s a lot of people who, in good faith, are limiting the data they choose to share, therefore limiting the potential of having better shopping experiences. In the world of big data and data collection, it’s critical that brands and retailers continue to push forward and use the information they collect to not only drive sales, but to improve and maintain positive relationships with shoppers.

Value Is in the Retailer

While I was recently on shopalongs spanning different CPG categories with female shoppers, there was one universal finding: value was associated with the retailer more than with the actual product. In marketing, value is defined as what you get for what you pay. However, when shopping certain categories, such as diapers or laundry detergent, many shoppers didn’t want to sacrifice performance to pay less. In those instances, it was all about where they chose to shop. They shopped at Target to feel good about receiving a free $5 Gift Card, or went to Walmart believing they’d find good prices on the brands they love, or bought their diapers from www.diapers.com to receive free shipping and five percent back. Value for these women was a product of the store and, therefore, factored less into their brand decision. It’s important for us to understand how different shoppers define value so we can overcome purchase barriers and effectively close the sale.  

Photo Source: www.allthingstarget.com

Oh, And Buy The Way…

Yesterday after work I accidentally wandered into a boutique fashion store, Lavish & Squalor, in Toronto. Without any prior knowledge or anticipation (I did not pay attention to any signs outside), I was surprised when I walked upstairs to discover a cafe. Yes, a cafe in the middle of a fashion store, with bar seating and a few tables with black tablecloths. On the way out, I checked their signage. Subtle, but clear: espresso bar upstairs. 

Pretty cool. And then I started thinking about the kind of shopper are they trying to lure in. Do they want shoppers who will later tell their friends “I stopped by for a coffee, oh and by the way I got this $300 blazer, too”? Is it for the companions of actual shoppers? Either way, it was a pleasant surprise, a very comfy environment, and I might go back soon. Maybe just to chat with the bar staff, but I might happen to buy something along the way. Just “buy the way!”

2013 Trend Sighting—Interactive Retail

Back in January, we posted about some of the top trends you would see in shopper marketing this year—one of which was interactive retail. Retailers and brands are not only striving to bring fun to the shopping experience through interactive retail but also efficiency. Case in point, the recent installation of Me-Ality (a self-billed "digital sizing station") in five Bloomingdale's locations. 

These installations aim to solve the chronic shopper problem of finding the right pair of jeans in the right size. I know from experience that trying on jeans is one of the most daunting shopping tasks. It requires the right mindset, knowledge, selection and setting to achieve the goal (buying the perfect pair of jeans). If even one thing goes wrong that can result in a no sale situation (which is not good for retailer or brand). That said, I would take the 10-15 seconds to give Me-Ality a shot. It appears to offer a fast and efficient way to get some knowledge (size and style recommendations) to aid the ever-daunting jean shopping experience.

Have you encountered other examples of interactive retail that have helped make your shopping process easier and more efficient?

Photo source: Mashable.com

What Role Should Retailers and Brands Play in Social Media?

Though the social web is an ever-evolving, complex space for brands and retailers to play; there are some guidelines for success. The Integer Group, in partnership with the North American Coca-Cola Retailing Research Council, recently released the final two parts of its series Untangling the Social Web. These final parts offer step-by-step tips for creating social media strategy for external communications (Part 6) and internal operations (Part 7).

Though internal and external strategies have their differences, the study indicates that both require a brand or retailer to truly understand their social role—that sweet spot where their own values and the values of their connections intersect. After all, the social web is a place that thrives on two-way dialogue. What's your contribution to the conversation? 

Download Part 6 or Part 7 to read more about how to define your own social role as well as how to activate it in the social web. 

New Shopper Insights for Download: Integer's Latest Conference Presentations

Hungry for some fresh insights about the current state of shopping? Download the latest presentations Integer has shared with the industry including:

• P2P Institute: Are We Still Shopping Smart Post-Recession?
• POPAI: Shopper Pulse
• P2P Institute: Shopping Perspectives on Health and Wellness
• IIR Shopper Insights In Action: The Emotional Shopper Journey: How Research on Shoppers' Feelings Enables You to Understand and Influence Their Behavior

Or click here to check out other presentations.

Are Your Shoppers Actually Connoisseurs?

Have you noticed that your friends have recently transformed into "experts" on everything? They demand the best in all their purchases, from craft beers to video games and running shoes to food carts. Having an endless supply of information at our fingertips has resulted in everyone becoming "experts on" everything with a minimal time investment. We're looking to fast-track our way to Gladwell's 10,000 Hour-Rule. A recent New York Times article explored this phenomenon that has resulted from a simple equation: consumerism plus information equals the rise of the connoisseur.

Consumers, overwhelmed by choice, are looking for the “best” of everything. Time and money constraints have made the traditional road to connoisseurship too difficult for most; however,