US shopping trips are price- and convenience-driven

Shoppers in the US made more quick, fill-in trips to ease the pressure on household cash flow in 2009, according to the latest The Checkout report.

The study, which is based on a nationally representative survey of 1,200 US adults conducted monthly by M/A/R/C Research, found shoppers adopted a more utilitarian view of shopping in 2009 – looking to get in, find what they need, and get out without overspending and without having very much fun.

“Shoppers are realising they might have to change their shopping behaviors to adjust for continuing recessionary conditions,” it says. “Instead of getting everything at once, they are increasingly using more quick fill-in trips to avoid larger grocery bills and impact on the family budget.”

However, while both price and convenience have consistently dominated shoppers’ priorities during 2009, both factors seem to be trending downward heading into 2010, indicating the period of retrenchment for many shoppers could be easing, and a refocus on quality and experience might soon return.

Shoppers are also using more shopping aids such as coupons and self-checkout, says the report.

Since the start of 2009, shoppers appear to rely more on coupons, from both manufacturers and retailers, to help them shop for groceries. While coupon use has been increasing, other forms of traditional shopping aids, such as directional signage and in-store associates, have been steadily decreasing.

However, when viewing the shopping-aid preferences of spenders (those who report shopping more) alongside savers (those shopping less), stark differences in recessionary coping strategies appear.

The savers segment shows higher price sensitivity and corresponding shopping strategy using circulars and coupons, significantly more than their spender counterparts; who are using more convenience-based shopping aids such as directional signage, in-store associates, self-checkout, and mobile phones.

Convenience retailers are poised to benefit further as shoppers increasingly value their time.

Throughout 2009, the study found shoppers notably chose price as their primary purchase consideration. However, with bargain hunting at its lowest point of the year, customers appear willing to spend more money if it saves them time. These changes represent significant differences from shoppers’ sentiments earlier in the year, it says. In the short term, more shoppers were willing to chase deals, but as the recession lengthens, fewer are willing to put in the extra time and effort.

Convenience stores are likely to deter shoppers due to fears around freshness, quality and selection, however.

Women are more concerned about safety and quality food options, say researchers, and men are more likely to say they don’t care as long as the store is convenient and trustworthy.

Male shoppers will also avoid a c-store because of poor staff quality, limited selection, or long queues. Younger shoppers (18–24 years of age), meanwhile, differentiate convenience stores by the exterior appearance, sense of personal security, and selection of healthy food options and will avoid a c-store because of a confusing layout or difficulty getting to the store.

Above other factors, convenience store shoppers primarily look at product selection and food quality when selecting between different retailers and store locations. Higher income ($75K+) shoppers are more sensitive to parking and product selection than lower-income groups, says the report.

The study found female shoppers are increasingly becoming a more important segment for the c-store channel and are attracted when stores offer a sense of security; clean store environment; fresh, high quality food; and special promotions.