Shopping Survey Report: Connecting With Today's Shoppers

Even before the customer walks through the door, many retailers face a significant disadvantage. It used to be that customers relied on retailers, on-site, for most or all product information. In today’s omnichannel, digital world, that’s no longer the case. Many customers conduct online research about a given product: price comparisons, product reviews, substitutes, and more. They can also buy many products online. So, retailers aren’t just competing against the store down the street, they’re competing against far-flung warehouses and global distribution channels.

What follows is the story of two complementary surveys: one of 1,231 North American shoppers and another of 393 North American in-store associates and managers. The surveys were conducted by online research partner Research Now from November 26 through December 13, 2011 and respondents did not know who was sponsoring the survey. Respondent answers yielded important insights following an overarching theme: directly empowering associates and shoppers with the right technology can bridge the digital gap between retailer and shopper, resulting in a more dynamic shopping experience and better bottom line.