How have shopper's buying habits changed over time
by James P. Outreach & PR ExecutiveAs time goes on, the way things are conducted change.
Whether this is to keep up with changing times or to reinvent the way things
are done, industries must adapt, evolve, and innovate. Something that is no
stranger to change is shopping habits. In 2017, the Office for National
Statistics reported that consumers spent around £366 billion.
Significant change has been demonstrated in consumer
behaviour and subsequently retail — ranging from technological advances to
consumer expectation. In this article, we’ll look at the different shopping
habits consumers have experienced over the years.
The Dot Com Explosion
The UK is home to the world’s third largest ecommerce market
in the world. At the end of 2019, statistics show that roughly 19 cent of retail
transactions were conducted online. But it wasn’t always like this.
Just over a decade ago, the high street was where shopping mainly
occurred. Back to a simpler time when Donald Trump was just another celebrity
with a questionable tan and people did their dating face-to-face rather than on
Tinder, in 2006, a mere 2.8 per cent of sales occurred online. The internet has
opened a whole new avenue of shopping experiences, changing our high streets
forever. Even food shopping is done online — online
grocery shopping is one of the fastest growing retail channels. The UK
is forecasted to be the world’s second largest online grocery market in 2020,
following China.
With stores being accessible at our literal fingertips, why
wouldn’t we online shop?
Research by Royal Mail found that most of the online
shopping was conducted on smartphones throughout the day, with use peaking on
laptops in the evening. The study also found that 22 per cent of consumers are
likely to purchase something after seeing it on social media, particularly with
young shoppers and women.
Not only is it convenient to shop online, but there are new
options created to facilitate this behaviour — free delivery,
try-before-you-buy schemes, discount codes. That slim fit shirt
that you wanted but the store is 30 miles away? Order it online.
Conscious Consumerism
A major current trend within shopping habits at the moment
is definitely a reflection of the current concerns of the planet — the
environment. A
report by Critero found that the psychological motivation behind
shopping is based around the premise of ‘green’ consumerism. The sustainable
food and drink market grew around 9.7 per cent, being one of the fastest
growing sectors of UK retail.
Consumers are actively looking for greener alternatives from
the typical brands they’re purchasing from, with the internet and social media
exposing companies for their large carbon footprint. For example, a
recent article by The Guardian reported that Coca-Cola is the
world’s largest plastics polluter for the second year in a row. Around half of
UK shoppers are inclined to make informed decisions and purchase from brands
who are transparent about their processes and openly publish their ethical contributions.
From Gregg’s vegan sausage roll to Topshop’s vegan shoe line, shopping habits
are shifting towards ethical consciousness.
Promiscuous Shopping
Corporate transparency also ties into the fact that
consumers are less brand loyal than ever before. With information and reviews
available online combined with the ability to compare prices, customers are
better equipped to switch between brands quickly and smartly.
Bad customer experiences aren’t the top reason for brand
switching, 62
per cent switched in the last year simply because another brand interested them.
Consumers are more curious and are willing to try new things — why would you
stick with one brand when you can try them all?
Nightcrawlers
Online shopping, but at night. While it’s beyond us why
anyone would be doing anything but catching up on those important zzzs
between these hours, data from John Lewis found that one in 15 online
transactions are made between the hours of midnight and 6am. Although this might
not sound like an awful lot, it’s an increase of 23 per cent from 2018.
More women are shopping online in the middle of the night
than men. And it’s hardly surprising, with there being no closing times on
ecommerce and millions of websites to browse.
Shopping habits have certainly changed over the years, with
the internet boosting sales as well as trends in environmental concern. It’s
hard to imagine how we’ll be shopping in the next 50 years. Maybe we’ll just 3D
print everything at home?
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Created on Sep 2nd 2020 03:58. Viewed 432 times.