Understanding The Shopping Habits Of Online Consumers

Whenever we are shopping online, our habits are slightly different when compared to shopping in a physical establishment. Today, we will take a look at the shopping habits of online consumers so you can create a product strategy that caters to their needs.

Making Smaller Purchases

It has been reported that 4 in 5 shoppers make online purchases totalling less than $100. They tend to gravitate toward lesser priced items online and choose to buy more expensive items in brick-and-mortar shops.

Purchasing More

Consumers also tend to purchase more when shopping online than they do in-store because they spend more time on the internet. It was also revealed that younger generations are more apt to purchase items online than older generations.

Doing More Product Research

Before buying anything online, shoppers thoroughly research on the products they are interested in. They read product reviews and compare prices across different online retailers.

They have also reported that they are pleased that they have access to a variety of different brands and products – some of which they can’t always find in-store.

Opting For Two-Channel Shopping

It was also discovered that a majority of shoppers use two channels simultaneously when shopping. Even if they are in a physical store, they still turn to their mobile device. This habit comes about because of the understanding that there may be better alternatives listed online. Consumers use their mobile device in-store to compare prices, too.

Online, consumers also find more payment options available, free or discounted shipping, and the ease of making a return or exchanging a product. Online buying habits also express that most consumers that shop online enjoy being able to purchase through a tablet application along with the opportunity to contact a live customer representation whenever they need to.

Click And Collect

Finally, another big shopping habit we see is the click-and-collect shopping process. Consumers purchase items online but choose to pick them up at the store. Doing so gives them all the value and advantages of online shopping, combined with the elimination of any potential delivery issues.

More than 62% of consumers shop online now at least once per month, and more than 8 out of 10 people claim they are satisfied with their overall shopping experience.

Which habits do your customers have when shopping? Do they choose to shop online and read reviews, or do they continue to strictly shop in-store for all their items? Determining this will help you better understand their behaviour and provide them with the solutions they seek.