The dramatic increase in online shopping in the United Kingdom has accelerated the way customers want to shop, signalling an imminent change in the retail sector, according to research from O2 Business and Retail Economics that revealed 44 per cent of customers feel the pandemic will have a permanent impact on the way they shop in future.
Forty seven per cent stated the number of times they shop online will definitely increase, a release from O2 Business said. The research findings feature in the company’s The Big Ask report.The dramatic increase in online shopping in the United Kingdom has accelerated the way customers want to shop, signalling an imminent change in the retail sector, according to research from O2 Business and Retail Economics that revealed 44 per cent of customers feel the pandemic will have a permanent impact on the way they shop in future.#
This comes after the peak of the pandemic, when over a third (34 per cent) sourced essential and non-essential items from online retailers.
The sudden acceleration of online will continue to be the biggest threat to retailers, the study found.
The Big Ask report identifies the need for retailers to provide a digitised shopping experience that the modern, connected customer of 2020 and beyond now expects.
The report reveals that nearly half (49 per cent) of customers are spending more time researching potential retail purchases online than they were before the pandemic , which jumps to 63 per cent and 61 per cent amongst customers aged 16-24 and 25-34 respectively.
In fact, almost half (47 per cent) of customers gain awareness of retail brands through digital channels, despite online accounting for only 20 per cent of overall sales.
This reliance on online retail continues to the point of purchase, as the report identifies how digitisation has changed the purpose of physical stores, which are fast becoming an important marketing tool. Twenty four per cent of customers say they have purchased an item online whilst in-store, and over a third (36.5 per cent) have used their mobile to read reviews or price-check online while shopping in a physical store.
The longer-term impact of the pandemic, coupled with the economic downturn, means that now is a critical time for retailers to enhance their digital propositions and provide meaningful customer experiences throughout the entire shopping journey, the study added.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)
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