A new study by experiential media company Mood Media has found that 30% of UK consumers are shopping in-store more often now than two years ago, and 40% are shopping in-store at the same level
The Mood Media report – “Charting In-Store Trends” – surveyed more than 12,000 shoppers across the US, UK, France, Spain, Germany, The Netherlands and China.
Some 46% of consumers say their desire for in-person shopping is rooted in instantly getting their hands on purchases, while 34% enjoy the element of discovery when shopping brick and mortar.
Shopping as a leisure activity with friends and family was another key reason for shopping in-store, with 28% citing this.
“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. “They’ve returned. We must focus on how best to tap into continued demand for digitally enabled, ambiance-rich, in-person experiences.”
Other key factors included more than two-thirds of shoppers (71%) prioritizing brick-and-mortar shopping over ecommerce, given a pleasant in-store atmosphere. While in-store, 72% of shoppers reveal a pleasant atmosphere would make them stay longer and 82% visit again.
Digital
The report also highlights the importance of digital transformation, with more than a third of shoppers now expecting stores to invest in digital payment and self-service technology as well as interactive screens that allow them to explore ranges and customize services or products.
Phygital, the merging of the physical and digital environments, is equally important, with 38% of shoppers expecting interactive digital screens or tablets to provide in-store access to all the search and discovery tools available online.
Moore added: “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.”
