The rise of the globally engaged omnishopper

A study using 10,000 global consumers to examine the nature of modern retail offers some valuable insights for today’s brands.

The findings for “The Shopper Story 2017” were compiled by commerce marketing giant Criteo, which aims to help brands and retailers better understand what shoppers around the globe think about shopping and how they approach the purchase funnnel via different channels.

The study examined the world of retail through the eyes of today’s empowered consumer - the omnishopper - those that use a variety of devices, channels and platforms to browse and buy products.

“Our shopper study demonstrates just how common omnishopping has become and its value to marketers,” said Jonathan Opdyke, Chief Strategy Officer, Criteo. “Omnishoppers generally prefer to shop online, but they love the in-store experience when they have time. Omnishopper behavior reinforces the need for brands and retailers to escalate their competitive strategies by innovating through collaboration—harnessing the collective power of data to engage with consumers at every moment and across any screen or device during the shopper journey.”

Key insights from the research show more than 3/4 of shoppers globally engage in omnishopping. Most consumers are going online to shop and buying in-store, and vice versa.

Webrooming and Showrooming

Sixty-six percent of consumers occasionally browse products online and then purchase at retail, with 24 percent making this a regular occurrence; whereas 74 percent of consumers occasionally make purchases online after seeing a product in retail, with 15 percent communicating they do this regularly.

Digital Drives Conversion

As mobile continues to permeate everyday life, online is now a critical point of purchase driver; with nearly half of all omnishoppers from various countries sharing that websites were the “last influence before purchase” and 62 percent of consumers reporting that they use their phone while in-store to research products online.

High Intent Shoppers More Likely to Initiate Searches on Retail Sites

Globally, approximately 80 percent of shoppers with a high purchase intent start their search on retail sites when looking for a product, not a search engine.

Retail Websites are More Influential than Ever

Nearly 50 percent of consumers indicated that retail websites are more influential in the purchasing process than word of mouth, search or even social. Shoppers who start their journey on retail sites also report higher purchasing intent.

Retargeting is Known and Accepted

Nearly half of shoppers globally say they like ads based on their shopping behavior if it results in a discount.

The “Shopper Story 2017” study was overseen by an independent researcher and conducted using Research Now's global panel of 10,000 shoppers aged 16-65 within the U.S., Japan, United Kingdom, Germany, France, and Brazil. All participants were multi-channel shoppers who go online daily and own a smartphone.

Photo and article credit: Criteo.com