The mind of the modern shopper
While Canadians are still value-minded in store aisles, the desire
for new products is becoming an increasingly influential factor in making
purchase decisions, according to BrandSpark’s 2015 Canadian Shopper Study.
The survey, done in conjuction with the voting for BrandSpark’s
annual Best New Product Awards, asked over 65,000 Canadians identified as
having a key role in household purchase decisions about their shopping habits.
The desire for new products is strong among Canadians, with 78%
saying they like trying them and 60% saying they believed new products were
superior to old ones. Millennials, perhaps unsurprisingly, have the strongest
interest in new products, with 85% saying they were interested in trying them,
although 69% of seniors say the same.
“Canadians always want to save money and get the best deals, but
there’s a little more willingness to pay for that premium,” says Philip
Scrutton, director of consumer insight at BrandSpark. “That’s always been
there, but you’re seeing a little more openness, which indicates more consumer
confidence. And with new channels, there are additional ways consumers are
finding to save money on brand name products that they generally want most.”
Value, however, still remains a key consideration for Canadian
shoppers, with 87% saying they feel proud when they find good deals while
shopping. But, as Scrutton says, consumer confidence may be on the upswing: 65%
said they were willing to pay more for a new product if it was an improvement
over other selections. And while 87% of respondents said they stock up when
their favourite products are on sale, 57% said they will visit multiple
retailers to find the best prices, those numbers are down slightly from 91% and
64%, respectively.
“Year after year, that’s the most agreed-to statement,” says
Robert Levy, founder and president of BrandSpark, of the pride shoppers feel
after finding a deal. “How important it is for Canadians to save money and feel
like they’ve saved money and the emotional connection that has, it explains
this whole business of studying flyers and searching for discounts.”
Although still a small portion of the total, using mobile devices
is slowly rising, with 13% saying they use it as part of their regular shopping
routine, up from 7% last year. The most common use (58% of respondents) is to
take photos of potential purchases, with 48% comparing prices to different
retailers and 45% checking digital flyers for sales or promotions. A small
portion (20%) said getting that information in-store changed their intended
purchase. Digital flyers are also gaining momentum, with 62% of shoppers
reporting checking them regularly, compared to 57% last year.
Even though more shoppers are bringing their smart devices
shopping, the numbers for old-fashioned shopping habits are down only slightly;
84% of Canadians still say they use written shopping lists (88% in 2014), with
91% checking store flyers regularly (95%).
For brands looking to increase consumer trust, the key seems to be
in openness and helpfulness: 55% of respondents said their trust in a brand
increases when detailed product information is available, with 62% saying their
trust is increased by good customer care. Doing CSR work and donating to
charitable causes that aren’t necessarily related to the brand increased trust
among 64% of respondents. Those actions outranked things like consistent
pricing (49%) and offering high-value promotions (43%).
Scrutton says that searching for value often outranks brand
loyalty, but the growing importance of innovation and improvement can be
utilized by marketers looking for that edge.
“They’re not strictly loyal to any one brand, although they want
quality and benefits,” he says. “Offering them something new and exciting can
allow you to keep that edge. Or, if you already have what they want, keep
reminding them of the value you deliver and the trust you’ve built.”
By Josh Kolm
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