Innovation is critical to having a sustainable retail business. Though it’s also important to recognize that you have to pay attention to the market’s trends, and above all else, look at how customer demand is evolving. After all, they are the ones who determine how we set up our stores.[/vc_column_text]
What Are The Shopping Habits Of Today’s Customer?
Today’s customers and those of the future, in contrast to traditional consumers, have shopping habits that are totally different and adapted to modern times and the means available to them.
As the director of HMY’s Business Unit West, Philippe Berthaud, points out, to be successful in retail, you have to be able to identify these habits, including what must be offered based on demand, and also what’s anticipated in the future too.
· Using Different Channels
Today’s customers don’t just learn about products and buy them in traditional stores. For years now, there’s a growing trend of combining online shopping with physical stores. They also use various channels to learn about offers and news, downloading catalogues on devices or subscribing to mailing lists, so as to take decisions and make shopping choices.
· Looking For Recommendations
Websites, online platforms, and social networks have been crucial to the growth of opinions and recommendations for products, services, or stores. Shoppers today are accustomed to getting information before spending their money, and this online trend has also led people to rely on asking family, friends, or colleagues for recommendations and opinions as well.
· Focusing On A Healthier Lifestyle
The most highly demanded products and services by today’s consumers are related to healthy and sustainable lifestyles. This is because daily habits have also shifted towards this trend, and this makes fresh and organic products increasingly important for the food industry.
· Demanding More Personalized Experiences and Customer Service
Offline customers are not just okay with going to a store, looking around, choosing and then buying something. Today, they want more than ever for the store’s experience to be much broader, with alternatives that complement the very act of shopping and this goes hand in hand with a more personal approach to customer service.
How Can Brands Take Advantage of These Trends?
Seeing how shoppers behave, and accepting that this trend is going to continue, brands can cater to these needs to anticipate customer desires and predict what future demand will look like.
In the first place, integrating different sales channels can help you take advantage of collecting information about customers and their shopping styles. With this data, communications and advertising activities can be much more effective, and they also can benefit from other actions undertaken at stores too. Sales staff can use part of this information to improve their customer service as well, by giving good recommendations.
As we’ve seen already, an omnichannel strategy is very lucrative for sales and also enhances the experience offered to customers.
With regards to trends towards more healthy lifestyles and the greater demand for fresh products, this is something that will be good for retailers, as they barely have any competition online. These products are increasingly gaining presence in stores and also displays are evolving to bolster their sales and keep them well preserved.
All of this complements having a better technological presence at stores, where more and more digital devices can advertise or display information, and also they can connect with shoppers through their own devices to offer a much more personalized shopping experience.
