Convenience, accuracy are keys to capturing omnichannel shoppers

Omnichannel shoppers, also commonly referred to as hybrid shoppers, combine in-store and online shopping and make up approximately three-quarters of Kroger's customers, according to a new report from 84.51°, the Cincinnati-based grocer's data and media company. 

According to 84.51°’s February Consumer Digest study, which surveyed Kroger customers over a 52-week period, omnichannel shoppers are more likely to be Millennial, have children and place a higher value on natural and organic products than the average customer.

They largely expect the experience between online and brick-and-mortar shopping to be consistent. About two-thirds of omnichannel shoppers said they expect the pricing and coupons to be the same between online and in-store purchases, and 61% expect consistency in the quality of the products purchased using the two different shopping methods.

When asked the question: “Which best describes how you shop for grocery and household items?” the response is almost a perfect bell curve, with 36% spending almost all their shopping budget online; 33% doing most of their shopping in-store; 19% shopping online and in-store equally; 7% shopping in-store exclusively; and 6% reporting that they do all of their shopping online.  

Convenience and reducing impulse purchases were two of the biggest reasons shoppers gave for shopping online, according to the report. Nearly three-quarters of survey respondents said they shop online for convenience, and 30% said it helped reduce impulse shopping.  

In-store purchases, on the other hand, offer a greater opportunity for customers to pick their own produce and other fresh products like meat and fish, according to 46% of survey respondents. Another 43% said the brick-and-mortar option also offers a greater selection.  

Another 38% noted that their preference for in-store purchases was due in part to the certainty of not receiving the wrong item; 33% cited delivery fees; and 32% said they avoided online purchases because of minimum order requirements. 

Digital coupons were the big winner (at 73%) when it comes to omnichannel consumers’ favorite online shopping features. “The feature is especially loved by very price-sensitive omnichannel shoppers,” the report noted. 

When asked how they typically add items to their cart, 66% said they use the website’s search function; while 62% add items while browsing for coupons or online promotions; 54% while reviewing recent purchases; 24% while navigating to different department pages; 12% while using the subscribe and save features; and 8% while looking for inspiration across recipe pages, etc. 

Accuracy and availability were two of the top concerns for consumers shopping online, and grocers could be losing sales if they’re deficient in either area, according to the report. When items are out of stock, 19% of online shoppers will find the item elsewhere online, and 6% will abandon their entire order and switch to a different retailer that does carry the product. Those two stats are even higher for households making more than $100,000 a year. 

One area where in-store sales still outperforms online sales is with consumers buying new items. A mere 15% of respondents said they would consider trying a new product purchased online for delivery, while 42% said they would do so for in-store purchases.