Retail Digital Signage Trend News
From Sixteen-Nine.net
The Dallas CMS software firm Reflect has pushed out the executive summary of findings generated from a recent survey of 1,600 Americans on their preferences for shopping and the role of technology coming out of this pandemic.
The national study – called In-Store Shopping: Hiccups & Hangups of 2021 – showed a significant thirst for more technological advancements in brick-and-mortar stores, especially if they mimic the convenience and benefits of online shopping.
The online survey was run in mid-August and revealed 60% of those responding prefer to do more than half of their shopping online. Despite this majority, the findings also highlight a significant interest in in-store technology to enhance the in-person shopping experience – revealing how retailers can use tailored technology to draw customers back into stores.
Further insights from the study revealed a strong interest in specific technologies that can bring online features to brick and mortar stores. These findings include:
- 56% of respondents said product reviews would be the most helpful feature from online shopping they would like to see in-store, with price comparison second at 39%.
- 46% said they prefer a more DIY shopping experience, with self-service options.
- 83% believe informative digital screens would save time during shopping trips.
- Of those who do the majority of their shopping online, nearly 50% say that informative, interactive displays would be the most enticing feature for them to shop in person.
Other findings include:
- 67% of respondents said what they miss most about in-person shopping is interacting with products and knowing what they’re getting.
- 80% of under-30 shoppers are more likely to shop in person than online if a store has interactive screens with product information, product comparisons and/or reviews.
- 55% said they prefer to shop in-person for food and grocery items, above any other product category.
- Surprisingly, only 56% of younger Millennials (under 30) prefer to shop online vs. almost 70% of older Millennials (30-44).
- 43% of shoppers say the Delta variant will not have an impact on how much they shop in person.