Blog

Omnichannel shopping isn’t a new phenomenon. Customers surf between print and digital channels to suit their shopping preferences.

But those preferences change over time. A recent study by Criteo details what the “omnishopper” thinks about retail. Our picks for the top 5 things to know about omnichannel shoppers (plus a bonus fact) are all from The Shopper Story 2017 study, which was released in late October of 2017.

#1: Mixing online & offline shopping is the norm.

Over 3 in 4 shoppers engage in online to offline and offline to online shopping.

• 83% of U.S. shoppers are omnichannel shoppers

• 74% of U.S. shoppers prefer online shopping

• 62% of shoppers use their phone for in-store research

#2: The favorite omnichannel methods are…

Customers use a wide range of omnichannel approaches to shop. Here’s a brief rundown of the top 5 methods and how often customers use them.

• webrooming: online shopping that leads to in-store buying

24% regularly & 66% occasionally

• click and collect: buy online and pick up purchase in-store

17% regularly & 61% occasionally

• showrooming : shop browsing in-store to make online purchase

16% regularly & 38% occasionally

• scan and scram : shop in-store but purchase from another retailer online

15% regularly & 74% occasionally

• click and ship : browse in-store but buy from phone

10% regularly and 39% occasionally

#3: Retailer websites are really, really relevant.

Retailer websites are the top channel driving consumer purchases. They are also the #1 channel for new product discovery and the most-preferred channel for learning about new products.

How shoppers report new product discovery by channel:

• 87% websites

• 57% advertising

• 51% social media

#4: Shoppers want specific elements when shopping online.

A website doesn’t need a lot of bells and whistles to attract shoppers. Shoppers rated how important each of these 6 elements are to include on a retailer website:

• 68% free shipping

• 64% discounts

• 48% appealing photos

• 48% reviews organized by relevance

• 34% product images

• 20% online chat

#5: Don’t discount brick and mortar stores.

Brick and mortar stores are not extinct! Here are the 3 most prevalent reasons customers visit stores:

• 66% of shoppers visit a physical store because its location is convenient

• 63% of shoppers like going to stores to understand what’s in style

• 60% of shoppers go to a store because they need the product now

Bonus: Be careful with ad retargeting!

Ad retargeting is common practice, but shoppers only appreciate it under certain circumstances.

• 70% of U.S. shoppers notice ad retargeting

• 43% of U.S. shoppers like being on the receiving end of ad retargeting if they lead to better discounts