Brands Need to Pivot Based on What Consumers Shop For; Insights Drive Purchase Intent

Valassis, the leader in marketing technology and consumer engagement, shared additional insights from “The Future of How People Shop” research, delving into how consumer shopping behavior varies across categories.

Based on responses from 1,000 U.S. consumers and conversations with industry leaders, the Valassis survey – conducted in partnership with Kantar – uncovers shopping behaviors, the triggers that influence consumers and the pathways they take along the category journey. The report looks at five categories: skincare, grocery, electronics, restaurants and cleaning.

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“To engage consumers most effectively today, brand touchpoints need to be more than personalized – they need to deliver highly relevant information in incredibly precise moments when consumers are most receptive,” said Carrie Parker, vice president, marketing, Valassis. “To deliver what consumers want, marketers need a rich understanding of a consumer’s life context and what influences them. Effective marketing strategies must consider the individual motivations that spark each consumer to engage with brands in specific categories – which vary significantly from skincare to electronics and from grocery to restaurants.”

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Insights from the Valassis research include:

• Skincare shoppers are more informed – When it comes to those shopping for skincare items, consumers are more invested in learning about their products before purchasing them and more confident than in the past.
  • 77% of skincare consumers believe they’ve become better at making more informed purchasing decisions compared to five years ago (vs. more than two-thirds of all consumers).
  • Skincare consumers seek new knowledge as well as information; 73% of skincare consumers say they love advertising that “teaches me something new” (compared to 65% of all consumers).
• Consumers seek efficiency and novelty when grocery shopping – When purchasing food or non-alcoholic beverages from a grocery store, shoppers look for speed and convenience from their experiences, but also seek discovery.
  • 71% of grocery consumers say they want to get their shopping done as quickly as possible. Yet this doesn’t mean they aren’t open to new discovery.
  • Nearly 4 in 10 grocery consumers also say they wish advertising would help them break out of purchasing habits to discover something new or better.
• Electronics shoppers are receptive to help from advertising – Consumers planning to purchase small consumer electronic devices (e.g. smartphone, handheld electronic, game, earbuds, internet-connected device) look to marketing to discover and find new products – online and offline. Among electronics consumers:
  • 63% would welcome targeted advertising that guides them through the store to locate a product (vs. 43% of all consumers).
  • 62% appreciate when companies use their data to serve up personalized ads (compared to 34% of all consumers).
  • 60% wish that advertising helped them discover new or better things (vs. 38% of all consumers).
  • More than half (56%) say they frequently try products based on the recommendation of influencers and celebrities (vs. 30% of all consumers).
• Restaurant consumers – QSR or fast casual – are drawn by the experience.
  • 64% of restaurant consumers love advertising that features “a product or service that satisfies an immediate need or want,” representing an opportunity to engage using knowledge of in-the-moment intent and need.
  • The top trigger for restaurant consumers comes from their cravings – 43% said being hungry or thirsty made them start thinking about a purchase.
• Consumers continually seek out discounts leading up to the purchase of a household cleaning product.
  • 55% of consumers initiate a purchase of cleaning items when they run out (or are about to run out) of a product. This suggests cleaning brands rely on familiarity and habitual purchases to remain in the consumer’s consideration set.
  • 30% check for promotions or coupons prior to making a purchase.

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