84.51° Data Reveals Closer Look at the Omnichannel Shopper

One of the top trends to emerge from the pandemic is the adoption of e-commerce into a shopper’s grocery routine, and new research from 84.51°, the Cincinnati-based Kroger-owned data and media company, finds that the omnichannel shopper is steadily growing. In fact, 84.51° reports that 85% of households say they’ll do as much or more online grocery shopping in 2022 as they did last year.

As consumers further adopt e-commerce into their grocery routine, 84.51° in its report found that hybrid shoppers represent a broad spectrum of consumers. When it comes to defining who is an omnichannel shopper, 84.51° said there is no one-size-fits-all category. Omnichannel shoppers range from the newcomer to the seasoned online ace, the report finds.

The report finds that shoppers are bringing online shopping into their routines as a result of the pandemic and is also a time-saving measure when it comes to grocery shopping.

84.51° said “7 of 10 online shoppers say ‘avoiding crowds’ is a big reason for ordering online.” And although the pandemic caused shoppers to stay home due to safety concerns, shoppers are continuing to do so for other reasons. 84.51° found that “66% enjoy shopping from home; 61% like saving time; and 40% spend less on checkout-line impulse buys” as reasons for online shopping.

To break down the omnichannel shopper from a customer spend category, 84.51° said that high e-commerce loyal customers spend “40% more than online newcomers on pickup orders, 41% more on delivery orders and 9% more on in-store purchases.”

As omnichannel shoppers are changing long-standing behaviors, the in-store experience is still a part of the shopping experience. 84.51° reports that supermarket trips lead the pack for “when they need it ASAP (74%); it’s time for a special reason or event (66%) or they’re getting a short list of items (66%).”

E-commerce also continues to be driven by flexibility, while in-store remains the most convenient option for specific circumstances. “When pickup shoppers visit the store on the same day as placing an online order, 4 out of 10 say they’ve done so because they forgot to add something to their online cart,” 84.51° said.

Online shopping has opened the door to new impulse-buy categories. It’s also a way for some shoppers to curb their impulse buying especially during these inflationary times, 84.51° said in its findings.

“Four out of 10 online shoppers think that by avoiding the checkout line, they’re also curbing the impulse to make last-minute purchases, whether that means a magazine, a candy bar or a value-pack of batteries,” the report said.

In a pivotal growth moment that omnichannel grocery shopping finds itself in, 84.51° said “the digital aisle is quickly becoming a must-win arena for brands.”