Google’s 2019 global shopping insights report shows that consumers are increasingly becoming omnichannel creatures of habit.
The implication is that retailers and online sellers need to be very conscious of what the new customer journey looks like and the critical points that influence purchases online and in-store.
Omnichannel highlights
When it comes to the crossover between in-store and online, a couple of facts really jump out:
- 47% of global purchases were completed online
- 90% of shoppers who visited a store in the past week researched online prior to going into a store; 60% of shoppers went online first before going into a store
- half of shoppers who went in-store first went online afterward
- 85% of consumers will take a product-related action (reading reviews, comparing prices, making a purchase) within 24 hours of discovering a product that meets their needs.
What are US consumers buying and spending online?
When it comes to US shoppers, the data shows their becoming bigger, more frequent online spenders:
- US shoppers made 4.5 online hard goods (electronics, appliances, sporting equipment, toys, tools, and auto parts) purchases, 4.6 online soft goods (clothes, shoes, home decor, linens, towels, jewelry, and watches) purchases, and 6.5 everyday essential products (health and beauty products, packaged food, pet products, and cleaning and office supplies) purchases online in the previous month
- US shoppers spent an average of $152 in the most recent online hard goods purchase, $99 on their most recent soft goods purchase, and $74 on average on their most recent online everyday essentials purchase
- only 3% of US grocery shopping occurs online but is expected to triple in the next 10 years
What’s different about today’s shopper journey?
In contrast to even five years ago, today’s shoppers are buying online and in-store but rather than browsing in the store only for ideas and prices, 90% start with research online.
For retailers, this means a more informed, potentially price-sensitive, and motivated consumer. Shoppers are looking for immediate, accurate information on products, availability, and price.
They’re also open to new experiences, with 76% saying they enjoy making unexpected discoveries when shopping. And, 69% of shoppers say they are still undecided about which Brenda by even when making purchases in a category they have bought before.
They also want deals and convenience with 58% expecting retailers they have shopped at before to offer them promotions and 59% expecting a retailer to remember their shopping and billing information from previous shopping.
50% of consumers also say they will use online video in-store to review product information before speaking to a sales rep.
The Google insights are extensive and well worth browsing in order to understand the new consumer shopping journey.
The 2019 Google global shopping insights also have some interesting comparative stats on the UK, Brazil, Japan and a number of other countries here.
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