Shoppers around the world now expect omnichannel, multi-screen experiences from brands and retailers, with the average consumer using a total of five devices when making a purchase – a significant increase from the 2.8 devices reported in 2014.
This is according to DigitasLBi’s 2015 Connected Commerce study of the
latest retail trends across 17 countries including Australia, China, India,
Japan, the UK and the USA.
The new connected
consumer
As
well as computers, smartphones, tablets and smart TVs, consumers are rapidly
embracing wearable technologies, with 17% of shoppers revealing that they now
own a wearable device – a figure that is likely to rise with the launch of
Apple Watch and similar devices with the potential to offer new in-store
experiences.
DigitasLBi’s
Connected Commerce study also shows that in 2015 shoppers are increasingly
comfortable going beyond the traditional e-commerce experience to embrace
mobile commerce (28%) and shopping via tablets (20%).
Products
and services that allow this new breed of connected consumer to act on impulse
are also proving popular. The survey shows that in-store pick-up is becoming a
particular favourite of shoppers, with 51% taking advantage of ‘click and
collect’ services globally, a figure that jumps to 73% in the UK.
“Customers
want to save time and money whilst being able to choose from more ways to shop
than ever before. Mobile is increasingly becoming the platform of choice for
bargain hunters on the go, with 85% of those surveyed now using smartphones
whilst in-store. A further 55% of consumers claim that smartphones have changed
the way they shop altogether,” says Jim Herbert, Managing Partner of DigitasLBi
Commerce, the connected commerce division of DigitasLBi. “We also know that 62% of smartphone users would be happy to use their devices to
pay in-store. With the launch of Apple Pay in US and the growing number of
start-ups in the in-store payment arena, 2015 could be the year of mobile
payment. Brands and retailers would be wise to take note of the fact that
mobile is set to fundamentally change the retail experience.”
Personalisation is
key driver to online and offline sales
According
to DigitasLBi’s Connected Commerce survey, personalising the shopping
experience is the surest way to the consumer’s pocket. 62% of respondents claim
they buy more and/or more often when met with personalised retail experiences.
A further 27% actively look for personalised offers when shopping online and
75% log in to e-commerce websites that cater for their personal preferences
based on previous behaviour (40%) or to get product personalisation (34%).
The
demand for personalisation goes beyond the online experience, with 70% of
shoppers around the world admitting they are more likely to embrace new
in-store technologies such as GPS and WiFi tracking if they receive customised
benefits in return, such as personalised money-off vouchers.
“Personalising
the retail experience and tailoring it to the needs of individual shoppers is a
sure-fire way to attract more customers and boost profits both online and
in-store”, says Herbert. “The bricks-and-mortar store is going from strength to
strength and behind retailer websites and apps has become the second most
preferred point of information for customers. However, the in-store experience
needs to become more agile, more digital and more connected. Retailers need to
get smarter about using data in order to personalise the shopping experience to
increase sales performance.”
The continued rise
of social
DigitasLBi’s
Connected Commerce study shows that social media is influencing an increasing
number of purchases both on and off-line. Overall Facebook is leading the way
with more than half (52%) of users now admitting that the social network
impacts the way they shop, up from 36% in 2014. This compares to 46% for
Pinterest, 43% for Instagram and 36% for Twitter.
Social
shopping is also rapidly gaining traction, with 28% of social network
users around the world claiming to have purchased an
item directly via a social media platform. UAE leads the way in terms of social
shopping with 56% of respondents now buying through social sites. Other social
elements such as online reviews are also gaining importance in the purchasing
process: 66% of shoppers read them when buying online and 36% when shopping
in-store.
“Peer
pressure has always been a powerful influencing factor when it comes to making
purchases and the Connected Commerce survey shows that social networks aimed at
our personal lives rather than our professional lives are translating this
online. Retailers need to ensure that social media is integrated throughout the
entire customer journey and that they manage their social channels to make a
real impact on purchase behaviour,” says Herbert.
DigitasLBi’s
Connected Commerce survey is now in its fourth year. The study covers a total
of 17 countries, up from 12 last year. Countries taking part are Australia,
Belgium, China, Denmark, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Japan, the
Netherlands, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, UAE, the UK and the USA. The 2015 survey
was conducted online by IFOP from March 5th to March 25th, 2015 with a sample
size of 1,000 web users per country aged 18 and over using the quota method
(gender, age, income or social profile and region).
Following
the rapid growth of omnichannel commerce, DigitasLBi recently launched
DigitasLBi Commerce - a next-generation connected commerce offering designed to
help businesses thrive in the omnichannel world. DigitasLBi Commerce
specialises in digital commerce implementation, systems integration,
application support and managed services. These skills sit alongside
DigitasLBi’s core brand building, experience design, content creation and
distribution capabilities to create a world-leading connected commerce
offering. DigitasLBi Commerce was recently named ‘Global Service Delivery
Partner of the Year’ at the prestigious annual hybris Global Partner Awards.