Big Retail Changes Blog Series: Is Online Really Taking Over?

As we enter December, it comes time to reflect on this past year’s retail changes. A few weeks ago we looked at a few of those changes with regard to specific retailers, but this week we are broadening the spectrum and looking at a trend that has been discussed in great detail over the course of 2015 (and the years preceding). Online shopping has come to dominate the discussion of retail trends, and for good reason, but is it really taking over?

Over the last few years, online shopping has grown to become a major player on the retail stage. Individuals are shopping online far more often than ever before, and this, for many bricks and mortar stores, has led to a drop in sales - sometimes small, sometimes more noticeable. It is no secret that online shopping offers consumers convenience and a simplified method of price comparison, but even with these conveniences, online fails to offer what many consumer still desire - the experience.

Bricks and mortar on the way out? If anything, retailers are now finding that having the two channels work together is the best way to up sales - we are thinking here of the option to order online and pick up in store. Having a physical location, offering products and services people can actually see, and offering customer service that has people leaving the store satisfied, is a way to differentiate - something that largely remains unachieved through online channels.

Why all the hoopla? Sure, online is taking a chunk out of the market, but so are physical locations. There is still a great deal of discussion because of the competition. As we mentioned, points of differential are what help you compete, and most of these can only be achieved on the ground. Drawing in customers is the optimal way to boost sales, and some of the biggest retail changes over the last few months have had more to do with this than even downsizing or company mergers.

So, is online really taking over? Are the big retail changes taking place indicative of this? Nope. The malls are still busy, and consumers are still spending most of their time and money in physical stores. Will this change in the future? Perhaps, but as it stands, it is pretty clear that bricks and mortar stores are here for the long haul.

Are you finding it difficult to compete, whether with online or other bricks and mortar stores? Maybe a change in direction and a strategy to achieve differentiation is what is needed. Don’t delay. Storesupport can help you develop a plan to get people through the doors. 

Call us today at 905.847.6513.

Improve Your In-Store Marketing: 2015-2016 Food Trends

People like food. Of course it is a necessity, but for the world’s foodies it is also a source of enjoyment, entertainment and pleasure. And as such, food trends represent a huge opportunity when it comes to your in-store marketing. The hottest dishes, favoured by both professional chefs and amateur cooking enthusiasts alike, are becoming about far more than just taste (although of course that still reigns supreme).

So what are these trends? Check out this great infographic from The Food People. Based on current trends and future predictions, here are the food trends for 2015 and 2016:

So what are the hottest trends in food?

-          Multi-sensory is huge - all part of the experience

-          Hybrid veggies are also becoming increasingly popular - think broccoflower

-          Rise of fermentation

-          Ethnically insired breakfasts

-          Modernised and reinterpreted classics

People really want:

-          Food with a conscience

-          Food with a story

-          Simple and natural

-          Uniqueness/creativity/something different

-          Overall, a great food experience

How are you using these trends as part of your in-store marketing strategy? If you want some help taking advantage of all they represent, call Storesupport today at 905.847.6513.

Who is Shopping: Retail Trends for the Months Ahead

We always like to keep you up to date on the latest retail trends in the CPG industry, and this week is no different. Over the last few months we’ve talked a lot about millennial shoppers, and how they are changing the face of grocery shopping. However, with this focus, we’ve neglected the other changes in consumer behaviour, and so today we right that wrong. 

Check out this great article from Canadian Grocer, “Look Who’s Buying Groceries Now,” http://www.canadiangrocer.com/blog/look-who%E2%80%99s-buying-groceries-now-55466. In it, Marion Chan takes a look at some of the other major players shopping in Canada today, mainly those almost always forgotten.

Who are we talking about? Historically women have almost always been the main shoppers in a household, but over the last few years this has changed. According to the article, today approximately 40% of men take on the responsibility of household grocery shopping. When you look at shared responsibility, where both adults take part, that number increases to 60%! That is a huge segment largely being ignored when it comes to target markets.

Earlier we mentioned millennials, and the focus being placed on this group - but Chan notes this may be a mistake as well: “According to Project Millennial, a study conducted at the end of 2013, 45% of boomer males claim to have the primary responsibility for grocery shopping compared to 24% of millennial males. This has risen consistently from an overall of 15% in the early 2000’s.”

Whoa, again, big numbers.

So how do male shoppers differ from their female counterparts? A few ways, the article notes:

- 60% of men are looking for a quick trip - in and out. 

- Man are not as impulsive, and their purchasing decisions are far more likely to come directly from a list.

- Men are less likely to be motivated by coupons, promotions and discounts - they are less price sensitive and typically don’t compare prices.

- 50% of men see a one-stop-shop as the priority, rather than price.

Marketing only to a certain segment of the population, primarily millennials, is something we’ve warned against in the past, and this information just cements that reasoning. In order to reach the greatest number, your strategies may need to be multi-pronged, but that will result in greater sales never a bad thing.

For more about retail trends and who is shopping (and how to target those shoppers) call Storesupport today at 905.847.6513.