Based on a poll of 750 consumers in
the United States, and an analysis of how top retailers operate across multiple
sales channels, the AccentureSeamless Retail Study found that half (49 percent) of consumers
believe the best thing retailers can do to improve the shopping experience is
to better integrate in-store, online and mobile shopping channels. An
overwhelming 89 percent of consumers said it is important for retailers to let
them shop for products in the way that is most convenient for them, no matter
which sales channel they choose.
Consumers remain bullish on the
in-store shopping experience: almost all survey participants (94 percent) found
in-store shopping easy. They are less bullish, however, about their experience
with other shopping channels: 74 percent said online shopping is easy, but only
one-quarter (26 percent) found the mobile phone shopping experience easy.
Regardless of their original
shopping touchpoint – in-store, online or mobile – consumers expect their
interaction with retailers to be a customized, uncomplicated and instantaneous
experience, according to the survey. The research also indicates that
consistency weighs heavily on the consumer experience. For example, 73 percent
of consumers expect a retailer’s online pricing to be the same as its in-store
pricing, and 61 percent expect a retailer’s online promotions to be the same as
its in-store promotions.
Yet, a benchmark analysis by
Accenture of the top retailers globally indicated that while 73 percent offer
the same promotions online as in the store, only 16 percent offer the same
prices online as they do in the store. Additionally, while 43 percent of
consumers surveyed expect a retailer to offer the same product assortment
online as they do in the store, only 19 percent of retailers actually offer the
same product assortment, according to Accenture’s analysis of top retailers.
“Showrooming” and “Webrooming” Are
Here To Stay
The survey found that as online
shopping continues to grow as a consumer preference, there is a mutually
beneficial relationship between stores and online channels. For example, while
in the six months prior to the survey, 73 percent of respondents indicated that
they participated in the practice of “showrooming”, or browsing at least once
in-store and then buying online, an even larger number – 88 percent – said they
participated in “webrooming”, or browsing first on the internet then buying
in-store.
The survey also highlighted the
following findings:
-- After purchasing, 81 percent said it
is important for a retailer to enable them to pick up or arrange for delivery
of their purchase regardless of how they paid for the item.
-- One-quarter (25 percent) of survey
respondents said they would be willing to wait a whole two weeks for free
shipping.
-- Other consumers are willing to pay
for speed and convenience: 24 percent said it is important for retailers to
offer same-day delivery, including 30 percent who are willing to pay $5-$10 and
19 percent who are willing to pay $11-$20 for same-day delivery.
-- The ability to offer a range of
different fulfillment capabilities is something offered by just over half (56
percent) of retailers; however, only one quarter (26 percent) have a same day
delivery capability
-- When respondents were asked what
they would do if a retailer has a product they want but it was outside normal
business hours, 39 percent said they would wait until the morning for the store
to open to purchase, 36 percent would buy it online from that retailer, 22
percent would search for the best price and buy the product somewhere online.
-- 49 percent surveyed are influenced by in-store offers (via
promotional displays, salespeople, etc.), 56 percent are influenced by email
coupons and offers and an equal amount of respondents say they are influenced
by coupons mailed to their home.
-- 69 percent and 62 percent respectively said that online pop-up ads and mobile banner ads would never influence their purchasing.
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