Major retailers in the UK are fundamentally missing the point when it comes to attracting customers into their stores, according to one of Europe’s leading shopping behaviour experts.
Philip Adcock, head of SBXL Ltd, said that retailers measured customer responses to price, attitudes to promotions and value for money, none of which – according to SBXL – had the most significant effect on shopping habits.
He said their latest research reveals that despite the economic downturn most shoppers don’t, in reality, switch stores just for bargains and low prices. Emotional responses to convenience and trust are now the more significant factors.
The figures reveal that shoppers at Sainsbury’s rate the store highly in terms of shopper enjoyment and excitement, and have been influenced by the fact that the store was only marginally affected by the horsemeat scandal. Shoppers at Sainsbury’s also rate convenience far higher than prices in their supermarket choices.
By contrast, Asda, Tesco and Morrison’s have seen a marked contraction in levels of customer enjoyment and excitement over the past year.
Phillip Adcock said, “Sainsbury’s have managed to trigger a positive emotional response in customers and this has translated onto their bottom line. They have managed to move the focus to convenience – making shoppers more aware about online and multi-channels – while at the same time maintaining levels of shopper happiness and excitement at the thought of shopping in-store. No mean feat.”
The research is part of SBXL’s Continuous Shopper Insight programme which surveys a cross section of shoppers on a monthly basis. Information from more than 3,000 shoppers is analysed to give an ongoing picture of shopping habits and shoppers’ attitudes.
Phillip Adcock said, “We survey a wide range of shoppers geographically and across the income scale. The message we are getting is that emotional response and convenience are the major factors for most supermarkets.”
He added, “The message to supermarkets from this research is that when they are drawing up their business strategies they should bear in mind that price will influence less of their customers than shopper experience, convenience and loyalty building.”
The research showed that Morrison’s – with their current emphasis on bricks and mortar supermarkets – were falling behind in the minds of shoppers, although this may change when their online presence is established later this year.
The same research also showed Christmas had very little effect on shoppers’ excitement and happiness – in contrast with previous years. The research indicated that people viewed the run up to Christmas with trepidation, particularly those out of work or at the lower end of the income scale.
Phillip Adcock added, “In summary, retailers must recognise that, a lot of the time, shoppers aren’t able to explain what they really want from a store, so they rationalise, or even guess. For brands and retailers the answer is simple: as well as canvassing what shoppers say, make sure to uncover what they actually mean.”
SBXL, with offices in Lichfield and Tamworth, is a leading retail research firm, combining state-of-the-art technology with a detailed knowledge of human psychology. As well as regular shopper tracking, the company provides retailers and brands with in-depth insights, using techniques such as in-store filming to capture behaviour, The company also provides detailed studies of facial expressions and non-verbal communication to identify sub-conscious decision-making processes, and eye-tracking to determine what shoppers see in-store.
The company – which recently featured on Gloria Hunniford’s BBC programme “Rip-Off Food” – works with leading retailers and brands across Europe, North America and the Far East.