These days more and more customers do their shopping online. This trend has been accelerated because of the pandemic.
But even before COVID-19, supermarkets have seen a steady rise in customers’ preferences to order groceries online. It’s safe to say online shopping growth isn’t going away.
- In the US, online grocery is set to grow to 21.5% of total US grocery sales by 2025, more than doubling its current share of the overall grocery market (Mercatus)
- The online grocery market in the UK is forecast to grow by 33% this year (Mintel)
Unfortunately, the overall satisfaction among online shoppers has gone down to 4.38 (on a five-point scale) from 4.48 in 2019 (The Retail Feedback Group).
That means supermarkets need to work harder to set themselves apart in a crowded digital environment and deliver great experiences for savvy online shoppers.
MEET CUSTOMER EXPECTATIONS FOR ONLINE SHOPPING
76% of customers expect companies to understand their needs and expectations.
In general, customers choose to shop online because of convenience, time-saving, flexibility, and greater personalization. In recent months, hygiene and safety concerns have also been a major factor.
According to Which?, these are the things customers find most annoying when doing shopping online:
Use customer data to personalize product recommendations and offer substitutions based on their previous purchases and preferences. Make your website and app intuitive to navigate, with clearly displayed prices and product descriptions. Find a way to show similar products so that your customers can compare and choose the best ones for them – as if they were standing in front of a supermarket shelf. Provide the smoothest checkout experience possible to encourage shoppers to increase conversion.
PERSONALIZE SHOPPING EXPERIENCES
- 71% of consumers feel frustrated when their shopping experience is impersonal (Segment)
- 91% of consumers are more likely to shop with brands that recognize, remember, and provide relevant offers and recommendations (Accenture)
- 83% of consumers are willing to share their data to enable personalized experiences (Accenture)
Customers crave personalization. That means anticipating their shopping needs, remembering their favorite products and brands, and offering relevant recommendations and promotions based on previous purchases.
Today’s busy consumers have many decisions to make; meal planning, finding suitable recipes to cater for all dietary requirements, researching substitutions, doing the grocery shopping.
Use data to personalize their experiences to save them time, help them enjoy the process so they come back – and even recommend you to their friends.
IMPROVE YOUR CLICK & COLLECT SERVICE
Click & Collect services have seen a surge in relevance and importance. As customers look for more convenience, the option of ordering shopping online but picking it up on the way home from school or work is very attractive. It’s usually cheaper than home delivery, sometimes free, which cost-conscious customers find appealing.
To boost customer satisfaction with your Click & Collect service, ensure you deliver on the much-desired convenience and save customers time. Have a dedicated area for Click & Collect in the car park with enough staff to create a smooth experience. Have more staff at hand during busier times to reduce queues. Use survey alerts to monitor customer satisfaction with your Click & Collect service and resolve problems in real time.
EVOLVE YOUR HOME DELIVERY SERVICE
Customers expect faster and cheaper deliveries than ever.
59% of customers say they are not satisfied with current high delivery prices.
Interestingly, 47% of shoppers are unhappy that supermarkets don’t offer same-day deliveries.
There is also a clear disconnect between what customers want and what supermarkets are working on: 73% of customers want to choose a convenient delivery time slot, despite only 19% of retailers thinking this is a priority.
Not meeting customers’ demands can really impact their satisfaction and loyalty. Find out what your customers would appreciate the most by asking them and prioritize it. It might be more delivery slots, GPS tracking, or picking their own substitutions. Whatever it is, you’ll be able to make an informed investment decision that will pay off and delight your customers.
PROVIDE SEAMLESS DIGITAL EXPERIENCES
Delivering frictionless, natural experiences for savvy online shoppers will help you grow their loyalty and advocacy. With such a large choice, customers can easily change where they order their grocery shopping from, so it’s important you identify and eliminate their pain-points. Invest in the right technology, demonstrate flexibility to engage shoppers and meet their basics expectations.
Get in touch with our team to discuss how real-time surveys can help you deliver seamless online shopping experiences for your customers and improve their satisfaction.
By Natalia Kaczmarek
