September 15, 2009
MISSISSAUGA, Ontario — Canadians are adjusting to the economic uncertainty by comparison shopping on the Internet and searching out efficient retailers who can save them time and money, according to a global survey of the shopping behaviour of consumers in 16 countries commissioned by NCR Corp.
Overall the research paints a picture of a bargain-conscious global consumer. Nearly half of all global respondents said they are using cash instead of other payment methods to control spending. Fifty-three percent of global respondents are using the internet more frequently to research products and prices and switching between retailers in search of value. Over half of North American and European respondents are turning to store brand or generic products as an alternative to name brand goods.
Canadian shoppers stood out from the crowd in their expectations of staff in retail stores, with almost 80 percent saying they want retail staff to personally help them find what they're looking for and 74 percent expressing a desire to check out quickly. Almost 40 percent of Canadians say they would welcome a self-service kiosk in stores to locate products.
When Canadians were asked how the economic climate has affected the way they shop, 40 percent said they find themselves online more frequently researching products and prices. Almost 50 percent said they are "shop hopping" between retailers looking for the best price. Forty three percent said they are shopping for fresh food but in smaller quantities so it doesn't spoil. Forty one percent said they are cooking from scratch rather than buying ready-made meals.
"Canadian shoppers clearly are time starved and demand choice, convenience and speed of service. They have so much access to information through the internet at home and the various mobile devices they're carrying when shopping," said Michael Taylor, general manager, Retail, NCR Canada. "The economic downturn has put more pressure on retailers as they figure out how to attract this informed, technologically savvy shopper who wants to connect with them via multi channels."
Around the world, consumer preference towards self-serve solutions, like self-checkouts and kiosks, is increasing. Half of all global respondents - and 35 percent of Canadians - say their likelihood to use self-service has increased over the past year. Eighty-five percent of global respondents and 63 percent of Canadians expressed a preference to shop with a retailer that provides the flexibility to interact easily via online, mobile and kiosk self-service channels versus a retailer that doesn't.
"Economic uncertainty creates both risk and uncertainty. Investments that directly impact the customer experience need to become a priority for retailers," said Luc Villeneuve, president, NCR Canada. "They need to focus on how to connect with this new, wired Canadian customer who's clearly showing a preference for retailers committed to staying on top of their needs. Retailers in Canada could stand the best chance of winning business if they can make things faster and easier through more in-store help from staff, faster checkout, and seamless integration of store offerings with Internet and mobile technologies."
According to NCR, retailers who adopt a broader range of self-service technology improve service and enhance the customer experience by redeploying staff in areas of their store where customers need more personal attention. This delivers greater cost savings by allowing retailers to invest in the areas that matter most to the customer. For example, self-checkout systems decrease customer queue time by 40 percent.
NCR commissioned BuzzBack Market Research to conduct this survey of over 500 Canadian respondents. The results form part of the NCR 2009 Self-Service survey of 8,400 consumers in North America, Europe, Middle East and Africa, Asia, Japan and Central Latin America. BuzzBack LLC is a leading international market research firm headquartered in New York City.
