How does technology affect our purchases in traditional stores?
Customers are increasingly using digital technology, not only for online purchases. It also helps them shop in traditional stores. According to recent market research agency in Poland studies, customers use electronic devices during almost two out of three visits to the store.
Today we no longer have two worlds: the digital world and the world of traditional shopping.
They more or less permeate, which is extremely important information for retailers who compete for consumers for whom the use of digital devices has become an everyday activity.
Most customers use digital technology before shopping – nearly 74 percent. Just over 42 percent of consumers use them during and after shopping – only 18 percent of Polish customers. Every third buyer uses the devices both before and after shopping.
The use of electronic devices is used by customers to find inspiration, and when shopping, it translates into the number of people who make a purchase. It is 7 percent higher for people who use technology compared to people who do not use digital tools before or while shopping.
There are no significant differences between men and women in this area. The level of “digitization” of purchases by both groups is around 60 percent, but men are slightly more likely to use electronic devices.
Technology has the greatest impact on young people. No wonder the Digital Impact Index declines with the age of customers, with the highest score in the 18-24 age group. It is almost 71% of consumers.
Where do customers look for information and inspiration?
At the beginning of the shopping path, i.e. at the stage of searching for information and inspiration, customers, regardless of the product category, value the ability to quickly find information about products and compare their prices (25 and 26 percent of responses respectively) in an electronic version – ingenuity. The source of information is usually websites for them (48% of customers). One fifth of the respondents use search engines.
The search for inspiration also happens via social media (8 percent of customers), the most popular of which are Facebook and YouTube. Young people (18-25 years old) are most active in this area, with at least one in four customers using social media before shopping.
