News

Poll: Retailers to lose customers if shelves aren't full

November 21, 2011

Nearly 70 percent of U.S. adults would avoid shopping at a retail store if they encountered empty shelves, according to a nationwide survey commissioned by Galleria Retail Technology Solutions, a provider of retail and category optimization solutions.

The phone survey took a random sample of 1,021 U.S. adults regarding retail store loyalty. The survey also found that women are more likely than men to avoid shopping at a particular retail store if they encounter empty shelves during their visit.

"As we approach Black Friday and the holiday shopping season, retailers need to note that making sure their shelves are fully stocked is critical when it comes to retaining loyal customers," said Bryan Eckhoff, executive vice president of sales and account management for North America, Galleria. "The cost of empty shelves can be extremely high. Out-of-stocks can force consumers to migrate from a particular store, risking the loss of the value of an entire shopper's basket, not just one product. Consistent out-of-stocks may force the permanent loss of that customer."

Key findings include:

• More than two out of three (68 percent) U.S. adults would avoid shopping at a particular retail store if they encountered empty shelves.
• Women are more likely than men to say empty shelves would cause them to avoid shopping at a given store (73 percent versus 62 percent respectively).
• Nearly two out of three U.S. adults would shun a retail store due to long check-out lines (64 percent), desired items out of stock (63 percent), or difficulty finding desired items (62 percent).

"Statistics have shown that it costs five times more to obtain a new customer than to retain an existing customer," Eckhoff said. "In the current U.S. economic climate when consumers are more cost conscious than ever, retailers should make every effort to ensure they have the right products, in the right place at the right time to keep their customers happy...and coming back."

Read more about customer experience.