Digital is becoming an increasingly important channel for retail marketers. Here's how you can use digital experiences to drive in-store traffic and sales.

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RETAIL
THE NEW CONSUMER
SHOPPING JOURNEY

2. THERE IS
NO OFFLINE
Digital influence on in-store sales has been on the rise since
2012, jumping from 12%1
to an estimated 49% by the end
of 20163
.
Consumers are embracing the wealth of information available
to them online, but according to a study by Deloitte1
, there’s
a gap between consumers’ behaviour and brands’ ability to
deliver desired experiences.
And it looks like companies are missing out.
According to Forrester2
, online experiences influenced about
US$1.3 trillion of in-store sales in 2015 ­— over 5 times more
than e-commerce sales, which raked in US$0.3 trillion. And
78% of respondents to a PwC survey said that they were
influenced in some way by social media in 20154
.
This indicates that digital experiences are now an integral part
of their shopping journey. And the influence is only growing.
While digital solutions are necessary to connect with this new
consumer, there isn’t a simple one size fits all solution. Digital
influence and the resulting digital needs vary by demographic
and industry.
1

3. DEMOGRAPHICS
INDUSTRY
18 to 24 year olds are the most digitally influenced age
range, but that’s not the only demographic consideration:
ethnicity, socio-economic status, and location all impact the
level of digital influence.
Consumers are using digital at different points during their
shopping journeys in each industry. The level of influence
digital has also varies depending on industry, and even
product category within that industry.
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4. Digital Influence isn’t just happening before heading
into a store either ­— consumers have started to use their
smartphones in-store to continue carving their own
shopping journeys, looking up additional information,
price-matching, and reading reviews all of which Deloitte
refers to as “mobile influence.”
In 2015 34% ­— or US$1 trillion ­— of in-store sales in
the US were influenced by mobile content3
, and ¾ of
the 23,000 global online shoppers surveyed by PwC
indicated they used their device while in-store4
.
MAKE IT MOBILE

5. WHAT ARE
THEY DOING?
36% - comparing prices with competitors
36% - researching products
31% - accessing a coupon/promo code
25% - checking reviews
And the numbers are even higher for millennials.
8 in 10 millennials (age 18-34) use mobile while in-store
35% - more likely to compare prices than shoppers over 35
43% - more likely to research product than shoppers over 35
38% - more likely to access coupon than shoppers over 35
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6. 2
With digital influence as high as 62% in certain product
categories retailers need to invest in creating relevant
digital experiences based on their main product offerings.
Digital Influence by Product Category1
:
62% - Electronics
59% - Home Furnishings
59% - Entertainment
49% - Apparel
39% - Health/Wellness
Social Media also has a noticeable (and positive) impact
on retail shopping:
- Shoppers are 29% more likely to make a purchase the
same day when they use social media to help shop either
before or during their trip1
- Consumers who use social media during their shopping
process are 4x more likely to spend more on purchases1
A CLOSER
LOOK AT
RETAIL
3

7. The Inspiration, Browse/Research, and Select/Validate
stages are the most critical in the retail sector across
almost every product category.
Inspiration Stage
The inspiration stage is critical for retailers when:
1) consumers use social media to shop and
2) consumers are less aware of the products to start
off with and don’t know where to buy them.
MAKING
AN IMPACT
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8. GET MORE INFO
Connect with consumers at
the inspiration stage with a
User
Generated
Contest

9. Consumers have a wealth of information at their fingertips
and they are just as likely to browse retailer websites/apps
than they are to use a general search.
Reviews also have a huge influence on purchase decisions —
67% of shoppers read product reviews before purchasing
an item1
.
BROWSE/RESEARCH
& SELECT/VALIDATE
STAGES
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10. GET MORE INFO
Get more product reviews with

11. LET US HELP!
THE BOTTOM LINE
Considering digital separate from in-store strategy
is no longer an option: the consumer doesn’t see the
difference and retailers need to integrate in order to
stay competitive. The new consumer shopping journey
happens both online and offline; at home and in-store.
Integrating mobile and digital into your in-store
strategy requires an individualized approach
depending on product category, target market,
and current performance. Retailers have different
opportunities to leverage digital and mobile influence
in order to connect at the most appropriate stages of
the consumer shopping journey.
SOURCES: 1 https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/us/Documents/consumer-business/us-cb-navigating-the-new-digital-divide-v2-051315.pdf 2 http://www.mediapost.com/publications/
article/268210/mobile-influence-on-store-sales-tops-1-trillion.html 3 http://www.luxurydaily.com/mobiles-influence-on-offline-sales-continues-to-grow-forrester/ 4 http://www.pwc.com/us/en/re-
tail-consumer/publications/assets/Total-Retail-Global-Report.pdf
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