Brick-and-mortar still the first stop for moms

While online grocery shopping options continue to evolve and win over more shoppers, for now moms are still making brick-and-mortar retailers their No. 1 place to do buy groceries , according to a new Valassis research report. But the numbers may not be as high as those traditional supermarkets might like.

When it comes to food purchases, 52% of moms do most or all of their shopping in-store, compared to 27% of dads. For household items, 50% of moms demonstrate this same behavior, versus 24% of dads. But when it comes to HBC items, only 36% of moms opt for brick-and-mortar, compared to 24% of dads.

Overall, 79% of moms said that going to stores with the lowest prices is critical, while almost 60% want to save the most money through the use of coupons and discounts. One in three moms cites the highest priority when it comes to grocery shopping is saving time, while more than one in four says the same about ease and convenience.

Over half of moms indicate they need better solutions to save more time (53%) and money (58%).

“Our data shows brick-and-mortar is still a first stop for moms, although e-commerce is bringing an entirely new level of accessibility and convenience to modern online shoppers,” said Julie Companey, director–grocery, Valassis. “Moms are balancing the need for speed, convenience and savings. Retailers and brands that can deliver on these three components, while also providing unique, personalized experiences, will help win moms over.”

According to Valassis and based on their research, retailers can take three steps to continue attracting shopping mothers to their stores in the face of growing online threats.

• Provide a mix of savings and convenience. Over one in three moms are increasingly shopping via brick-and-mortar that offer the added convenience of delivery and pickup options. Just over half (51%) always or very often search online for coupons they can use during their shopping trips.

• Appeal to the evolving omnichannel shopper. As the digital and physical environments continue to blend, approximately one in five moms orders groceries online for delivery or in-store pickup. And as technology continues to integrate with the path to purchase, over one in four moms now use a smartphone app to scan barcodes as they shop, according to Valassis.

• Offer unique experiences. More than a third of moms (36%) have increased their shopping at stores that offer prepared foods/meals versus last year. The same percentage say they are doing more shopping at stores that focus on organic, natural and fresh products compared to last year.