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The Evolution of the Omnichannel Grocery Shopper

This multi-chapter ebook summarizes key takeaways from Mercatus’ Omnichannel Shopper Behavior 2022 research to yield actionable insights on how grocers can win customer loyalty and share of wallet. 

Introduction

The challenges in the last few years have made it clear to all that constant evolution and the ability to be agile is the only way to succeed. As consumers’ lives shifted, so did their shopping patterns and personal priorities. Businesses saw rapid shifts in demand for services and online shopping, and did their best to keep up. 

With the realization that grocery retail is an essential service, consumers want shopping options that align with their new normal. Meanwhile, retailers are looking for ways to attract and retain customers, while upholding their brand promise, both in store and online, in this new omnichannel world.

2023 is going to be a challenging year for grocers. Food inflation remains stubbornly high and recession fears weigh on household purchase decisions. Regardless of income levels, grocery customers are being extremely careful with their weekly shop and spend and are on the constant lookout for new ways to save money. Incremental revenue growth, in the long run, will come to those that implement a solid customer-centric omnichannel strategy.

Consumers’ evolving grocery purchase behavior in 2022 gave retailers a lot to think about and plan for. Since most of it was unanticipated, we were curious to find out how US households have shopped for groceries in the past few months, so we can equip grocers with the required know-how to better prepare for the next defining chapter of omnichannel grocery retail. 

Our latest research report on omnichannel shopper behavior volumes 1, 2, and 3 dissected how the modern grocery customer shopped for groceries in the past three months. It broke down their preferred grocery shopping channels and fulfillment methods while also highlighting their expectations and demands from grocers. 

The survey for Volume 1 of the report was conducted from 30th June to 1st July, the one for Volume 2 was conducted from 25th to 27th August, and the survey for Volume 3 ran between 6th to 10th October, 2022. 

This eBook is a roundup of the learnings gathered in the three volumes of the Omnichannel Shopper Behavior 2022 report. Our primary focus is to help regional grocers better understand how to build a scalable omnichannel channel strategy that meets their customers’ needs, builds brand loyalty, and charts a path towards profitability.

We have compiled all the takeaways from the research to help you stay ahead of what shoppers want and encourage repeat purchases, while lowering operational costs and increasing profit margins. After reading this ebook, you will have a better and more tactical understanding of delivering omnichannel grocery shopping experiences that: 

  • Delivers on customers’ dynamic expectations 
  • Fosters long-lasting customer relationships and brand loyalty 
  • Reduces overall cost of operation and fulfillment 
  • Increases profit margins by doubling down on shoppers’ preferences 
  • Futureproofs your bottom line from any industry turbulence

PS: Did you miss the omnichannel shopper behavior reports?

Get the complete reports below for free:

Download Omnichannel Shopper Behavior Report 2022 Volume 1
Download Omnichannel Shopper Behavior Report 2022 Volume 2
Download Omnichannel Shopper Behavior Report 2022 Volume 3

First things first; let’s revisit the trends and patterns that the research from our 3 reports revealed to establish key takeaways that retailers must focus on. These overall themes in terms of shopper behavior will tell us what the near future of omnichannel grocery will look like. 

Headshot of Mark Fairhurst

Mark develops the overall marketing strategy for Mercatus and leads the team responsible for market insights, branding, product marketing and demand generation.