The UK is home to three distinct kind of shoppers with different shopping habits, according to a new report by Hammerson and retail consultant Conlumnio.
They are the “channel surfing enthusiasts”, the “time-stretched value hunters” and the “focused functional spenders”.
The report, Shopper Tribes, explores these three different groups of shoppers and their evolving habits. It shows that while digital innovations and research tools have empowered the consumer, they have also made the shopping trip more complex.
An average journey, including browsing, researching, checking prices and purchasing, now takes more than four hours, with nearly 40% of this time spent in store.
The keenest shoppers are 18 to 34 year-olds, the “channel surfing enthusiasts”, who spend the longest time browsing, surf the widest variety of retailers via varied channels and shop the most.
The most frugal are 35 to 54 year-olds, the “time-stretched value hunters”, who are promotion driven, with a sharp focus on price. They enjoy shopping, but do not have the time to do it much. As a group, they spend the most.
Those aged 55 and above are the “focused functional spenders”, and are forecast to be the biggest contributors to growth in non-food retail. Convenience, quality and service is most important to them, but they regard shopping as a chore, particularly men.
The report highlights consumers’ constant access to retail and the ability to shop whenever and wherever they choose, with 86% now using two or more channels.
Nearly a quarter of younger shoppers, 24%, deploy four or more channels, and more than half, 58%, use mobile or tablet devices while shopping.
Despite the lengthy research and browse time, the consumer seeks instant gratification with a staggering 96% unwilling to wait more than three days to collect a purchase.
Although home delivery is still the most widely used fulfilment option for online purchases, consumer frustrations are notable: half of shoppers claimed delivery times and charges are off-putting. As a result, click-and-collect is increasingly seen as the preferred option, with 55% of consumers saying they would use this fulfilment method if retailers offered it.
David Atkins, chief executive at Hammerson, said: “In many ways, the proliferation of research tools and digital innovations has democratised shopping, empowering consumers but also giving retailers numerous touch points to reach their customers and engage with them along the journey. With nearly two-fifths of this shopping time spent in store, there is a real opportunity for retailers to showcase a proposition that is unmatched in the online world, and for landlords to provide experiences beyond pure retail that capture and extend customer dwell-time.”
Maureen Hinton, group research director at Conlumino, said: “Technology and changing consumer habits are making retailing far more complex for both consumers and retailers. Despite the range of channels and devices on offer to shoppers, stores remain a major element of the shopping trip. However, they must deliver more than convenience and offer inspiration to their customers so they are not just collection points but also destinations.”
