New research from experiential media company Mood Media provides key insights into the evolving in-store shopper as the crucial holiday marketing season kicks in, revealing how creating the right atmosphere, incorporating the right digital technology, and committing to sustainability are key to tapping into a continued appetite for consumers to shop in-store.
The firm’s new global study, Charting In-Store Trends, based on a survey from Censuswide of more than 12,000 shoppers across the US, UK, France, Spain, Germany, The Netherlands and China, finds that 38 percent of consumers globally are shopping in-store more often now than two years ago, and 33 percent are shopping in-store at the same level.
When asked to identify a reason for shopping in-store, 45 percent of consumers say their desire is rooted in getting their hands on purchases instantly, and 38 percent enjoy the element of discovery when shopping brick and mortar. Shopping as a leisure activity with friends and family was the third most cited reason.
“There is no longer a debate over whether people will return to physical retail after the pandemic,” said Scott Moore, global CMO at Mood Media, in a news release. “They’ve returned. Now we must focus on how best to tap into continued demand for digitally enabled and ambience-rich, in-person experiences.”
What the right atmosphere can do
Key to the report findings, more than three-quarters (77 percent) of global shoppers will prioritize brick-and-mortar shopping over ecommerce given a pleasant in-store atmosphere. And once in store, 79 percent reveal that a pleasant atmosphere would make them stay longer and 84 percent say they would then visit again. More than one-third (39 percent) of global consumers say music in-store lifts their mood when shopping, while 35 percent feel that a pleasant scent does the same.
“The results indicate that consumers expect the retail and hospitality venues they frequent to create emotional connections and elevated experiences. They are also looking for human interaction and sensory stimulation, where stores offer indisputable advantages,” said Miya Knights, a retail-focused author and publisher who consulted on the research project, in the release.
The evolving role of digital in-store
Within the survey findings, engaging digital signage content plays a key role in consumers’ purchasing decisions, making 26 percent of the consumers polled more likely to buy something in-store, 23 percent returning to the store and 22 percent staying longer thanks to this content.
Interactive digital screens rank particularly high in the Automotive sector among consumers, with 26 percent indicating they are the most important feature in creating a pleasant in-store experience, just after friendly and knowledgeable staff (49 percent), and things to see, touch and smell (30 percent).
Over half of shoppers (57 percent) now expect stores to invest in digital payment and self-service technology, while 55 percent expect to see interactive screens that let them explore options and customize services or products. Equally important, almost half 48 percent) expect stores to showcase engaging large video displays.
“As consumers return to brick-and-mortar stores in full force, what we see is that they’re coming back with evolved shopping habits and expectations. They now increasingly see both online and offline as part of the same purchase journey (not one versus the other), and due to their growing comfort levels in the online space they now expect similar levels of digital technology solutions as an integral part of the physical space,” said Moore.
Take action on sustainability
Retailer sustainability is a driving factor for shoppers globally, with two in three shoppers (66 percent) indicating that these practices impact their willingness to stay longer, return to the store, tell friends and buy more.
More than half of shoppers (57 percent) want to be educated on information about environmental qualities and characteristics of goods being sold. Almost two-thirds (61 percent) expect retailers to provide recycling options in-store, and most shoppers want to see retailers reduce their energy usage by closing doors to air-conditioned spaces (57 percent) enclosing refrigerated spaces and turning off display lights when closed (54 percent).
Consumers are ready to walk the talk and reward retailers for acting on sustainable practices, with 58 percent of shoppers globally saying sustainability-minded retailers would make them more likely to want to buy something.
How shoppers around the world differ when it comes to in-store experience
Stand-out findings for the US and international markets include:
- US consumers lead the return to in-store shopping with 48 percent of shoppers going in-store more than two years ago, vs. 38 percent global average
- Shoppers in China lead on tech ambitions and a desire for sustainable practices—85 percent want to see self-service digital technology, AR and VR, vs. a 57 percent global average
- 84 percent of US consumers say stores with a pleasant atmosphere are most likely to drive repeat visits, and 90 percent declare it makes them stay longer
- German shoppers are most likely to turn their sustainable convictions into purchases—67 percent say they are more likely to buy from sustainable-minded retailers vs. a 59 percent global average
- Engaging digital content and personalized experiences have the highest impact on US consumers’ purchasing decisions, making 31 percent and 40 percent, respectively, want to buy something in a store
- 58 percent of US shoppers say that branded music playlists and scents would make them stay longer in a physical sales space
“Mood Media’s latest study shows how vital it is to balance digital with physical in stores today. Shoppers still expect a pleasant atmosphere, with good lighting, music and things to touch and see. Knowledgeable staff and the ability to buy instantly or collect online orders cannot be understated, too. But the rising importance of digital technology for self-service, engagement and interaction, and the adoption of sustainable practices and products have a fast-growing role to play in shoppers’ choice of store, buying intent and frequency,” said Knights.
Download the full report here.
Mood Media recently carried out a study among 12,261 consumers aged 18 or over across seven countries about their attitudes towards shopping in stores. Respondents lived in China, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, the UK, and the US. They had visited at least one physical retail store or hospitality space within the last 12 months. To understand why shoppers visit stores and what they expect from their experience, the survey polled attitudes towards frequency, atmosphere and sustainability, among others. Respondents indicated how digital technology informed their store journeys and the different expectations they have, depending on the type of physical sales space they visit. Censuswide conducted the survey over a two-week period, ending early September 2022.
