New research into UK shopping habits highlights that need for speed is driving the iPod generation’s call for a redeployment of supermarket staff.
Tomorrow's shoppers want a faster grocery shopping experience with more in-store technology and staff deployed differently to improve customer service. This upcoming generation of impatient teens wants to be able to shop and go – with someone on hand to pack their bags, load their cars and pick up the items they have forgotten.
Research carried out for EDS by IGD (the Institute of Grocery Distribution), shows that 59% of 13-19 year olds – tomorrow's shoppers – want little or no staff involvement in their shopping experience. Of this group, 66% would like to self-scan their purchases rather than wait in a queue to pay a checkout assistant. However, of those who still want human interaction, 57% want staff to pack their bags.
Despite a strong acceptance of self scanning, 40% still want lots of human interaction while shopping, but they want staff to be deployed differently. The research, published today to coincide with the IGD’s annual convention, shows that of those opting for continued staff involvement, improved customer service is required:
45% of teenagers want staff to take shopping to their cars
41% want staff to get products they have forgotten whilst they are queuing
Need for speed
The need for speed of a generation weaned on high speed internet access and mobile phones can be addressed through the introduction of additional in-store technologies. Focus groups with 13-19 year olds revealed that in addition to self-scanning, teenagers are interested in other ways that technology can speed up their shopping visit:
48% of teenagers looking for human interaction would like call buttons in aisles so they can call for staff to help them in their product selection
Of those who want little or no staff involvement:
26% want automated trolleys that direct them to their chosen items with 16% calling for satellite navigation on trolleys
22% would like to see information terminals throughout the store
They also want a computer to create a shopping list based on previous shopping (17%), in-store promotions (13%), and preferred brands (12%)
On the money
In terms of different payment methods, teenagers still favour paying with credit and debit cards, but many say that in future, they would like to use biometrics – fingerprint (17%) and iris recognition (7%) - to purchase groceries. Fear of mobile-related crimes – last year 710,000 mobile phones were stolen in the UK – has created a reluctance to pay with existing mobile technologies, such as mobile phones and watches that automatically link to their bank accounts. There is no indication from respondents that we will be a cashless society in ten years time as 39% of teenagers and 30% of adults said they are still likely to use cash.
Sion Roberts, European director of consumer industries and retail at EDS, said: “Today’s iPod generation is tomorrow’s family shopper and we need to understand what makes young shoppers tick. They are more willing to try out new technologies as soon as they become available than their parents, and they are already fans of self-scanning. This creates an opportunity to introduce new technologies such as information terminals and call buttons for assistance in-store to help enhance their shopping experience. We work with retailers around the world to implement technology that improves customer service, reduces checkout times and eliminates stock running out and leading to empty shelves.”
Gerardine Padbury, senior researcher at IGD, said: “The research shows that tomorrow’s shoppers will be even more demanding than today's – and that retailers will need to meet their demand for immediacy to thrive. These shoppers have never known a world without the internet or the mobile phone, and they expect technology to serve them in store just as much as in the home.”
Other research findings revealed that:
Despite the common preconception that teenagers and adults have different shopping habits and preferences, this research concludes that today's teenagers think like their parents. The views of adults and teenagers on most issues raised in the interviews and focus groups are closely aligned
Brand image is important to both adults and teenagers, but the research shows that teenagers are more influenced by advertising than their parents – 60% of teenagers believe that good advertising has an impact on brand image compared to 45% of adults. Half of teenagers (50%) and 35% of adults will go to a different store if the brand they want isn't available, which highlights the importance of ensuring that items are on the shelves
Despite the backlash against supermarkets and accusations that they are killing off smaller stores, people like the supermarket format – 62% prefer hypermarkets and just 4% favour the convenience store set up. In ten years’ time, over three-quarters (79%) of us will be shopping in supermarkets for at least some of our groceries (32% of respondents say they will shop exclusively in supermarkets) with just 3% favouring specialist outlets such as butchers, bakers and greengrocers. 26% of teenagers will include specialists as part of their shopping repertoire. Even for supermarkets, convenience is still king. People put the preference for store choice down to convenience of location (60%), low prices (56%), variety of branded products on offer (48%) and good parking facilities (43%).
