According to a new study by Ryan Partnership, branded shopping apps are the strongest driver behind unplanned purchases. Branded content on social networks drives people to try new products, and
texts and social media are most likely to influence where people shop.
The study finds that consumer usage of digital tools to support shopping has grown tremendously in just 18 months. In
2010, usage of digital shopper tools was more limited to early adopters, while in 2012 the vast majority of shoppers have woven them into multiple points throughout their path to purchase. The
RetailNet Group projects that this shift from analog to digitally-influenced shopping will continue for the foreseeable future.
Projected Influence of Digital Tools on Shopping Trips |
Influence | 2011 | 2016 |
Analog | 54% | 36% |
Digitally influenced | 38 | 53 |
Source: RetailNet Group, September 2012 |
“Digital retail,” in the study, is defined as the use of digital communications to engage shoppers along the path-to-purchase and drive incremental sales. Any
marketing-related digital interaction that the shopper has in-store would be considered part of the digital retail universe.”
Shoppers' usage of digital retail tools, ranging from
store websites and mobile coupons to daily deal sites and QR codes, has doubled or even tripled, depending on the tool, in the previous 18-month period. 96% of the survey respondents said they have
used at least one digital shopping tool, with the majority using multiple tools.
The five most heavily used tools were:
- Store websites (64% of respondents)
- Downloadable coupons (61%)
- Search engines (51%)
- Retailer emails (53%)
- Brand websites (49%)
Additional tools mentioned include daily deal sites, brand
social media, mobile coupons and shopping apps.
Digital Tools Used When Shopping Or
Planning To Shop (% of Respondents) |
Digital Tool | 2012 | 2010 |
Store websites | 64% | 28% |
Downloadable coupons | 61 | 28 |
Search engines | 59 | |
Retailer Emails | 53 | 25 |
Brand sites | 49 | |
Brand emails | 47 | |
Daily deal sites | 37 | |
Reviews/recommendations | 36 | 12 |
Load to card coupons | 28 | 10 |
Brand social media | 26 | 12 |
Retail social media | 23 | |
Mobile coupons | 18 | 5 |
Retailer texts | 16 | 5 |
Shopping apps | 14 | |
QR codes | 8 | |
Source: RyanPartnership, September 2012 |
Kim
Finnerty, VP, Consumer and Shopper Insights at Ryan, says "... usage of digital tools during the planning phase of shopping is... virtually ubiquitous..."
The survey of 8,000 primary household
shoppers about their usage of various digital retail tools found that shoppers use different tools for different purposes, and which tools impact which behaviors.
- Social Media from
retailers is the strongest driver of new brand and product trial. Brands launching new products should feature their new offerings not only in their own social media efforts, but in their retailers'
as well.
- Shopping Apps and retailer tools are strongest drivers of unplanned purchasing. It is important for the Brand to be a part of the retailer's digital tools as their traditional
tools, opines the report.
- Texts Messages from Retailers and Brands are most likely to influence choice of where to shop.
Tool Impact on Product Trial (% of Respondents Who Bought Products/Brands Never Before Purchased) |
Influence Tool | % Bought |
QR codes/bar code
readers | 22% |
Shopping apps | 32 |
Retailer texts | 21 |
Mobile coupons | 19 |
Retailer social media | 36 |
Brand social media | 32 |
Load-to-card coupons | 20 |
Reviews/recommendations | 29 |
Daily deal sites | 26 |
Brand emails | 26 |
In-store brand sites | 25 |
Pre-shop brand sites | 29 |
Brand sites | 19 |
Retailer emails | 21 |
Search engines | 16 |
Downloadable coupons | 18 |
In-store retailer sites | 15 |
Pre-shop
retailer sites | 17 |
Retailer sites | 15 |
Source: RyanPartnership, September 2012 |
The study points to shopping apps and social
media updates as the tools best poised for near-term growth, because they deliver the strongest combination of shopper utility (such measures as "makes shopping more fun," and "makes me feel
like a smart shopper"), and behavioral impact ("I make more unplanned purchases," "I try products or brands I never bought before," "I spend more than I planned").
The impact of digital
shopper experiences on the selection of a retailer was quite strong. Interestingly, retailers’ own social media updates were the strongest driver of a shopper’s selection of a
retailer. Although quantifiable ROI data can be challenging to come by, retailers’ recent efforts to scale up their social media following seem to be bearing fruit, notes the report.
Most Important Tools Influencing Retailer Choice |
Tool | % of Respondents |
Retailer social media | 44% |
Product reviews/recommendations | 42 |
Pre-shop brand sites | 42 |
Shopping apps | 40 |
Pre-shop retailer sites | 37 |
Retailer
emails | 37 |
Brand social media | 36 |
Brand emails | 34 |
Source: RyanPartnership, September 2012 |
Finnerty concludes that "... two years ago, early adopters were the only consumer segment using shopping apps and following retailers' updates on social media...
Now, the vast majority of consumers are weaving these digital tools into their path to purchase,..".
For more information from the Ryan Partnership, or for
access to the PPT report, please visit here.