Has the pandemic made cash a thing of the past?
The pandemic has fueled a decline in the use of cash amid a surge in online shopping and contactless payments, and 67% of retailers now feature no-touch payment options, according to NRF. Nearly 30% of consumers report using no cash at all most weeks, up from 25% in 2015,...
Retail Industry Experts View 2021 With Caution & Optimism
The pandemic brought unprecedented changes in the US economy and fostered uncertainty that persists into 2021, said Ira Kalish, Deloitte’s chief global economist, during a session at Retail’s Big Show. In its new retail outlook for the year, Deloitte predicts US GDP will grow in the second half as...
The exhilarating world of post-pandemic shopping
Retailers will put an even greater focus on creating one-of-a-kind experiences to bring shoppers into stores after the pandemic, as many consumers have become accustomed to online shopping. “Experiential retail had been a growing trend, but the pandemic will turbocharge it,” NRF’s Katherine Cullen said. https://www.fastcompany.com/90587325/the-exhilarating-world-of-post-pandemic-shopping
Consumers Still Prefer In-Store Shopping
The latest State of Consumer Behavior Report from Raydiant shows 46% of people who responded still want to shop for groceries in person, despite the threat posed by the pandemic. “The brands who survive and thrive in the years ahead will be those who focus on serving these consumers...
Payment methods become key part of shopper experience
Touchless payment options have quickly gained popularity this year. This article examines future e-commerce trends retailers need to stay abreast of, including what’s next for cash and how to meet the increasing digital expectations of shoppers. What’s the Proper Path for Better Payments? | Progressive Grocer
Training front-line employees to resolve customer conflict
The world is in a heightened state of anxiety and, with conflicts around health and safety likely to escalate as we head into the holiday season, the NRF Foundation recently released training credentials to arm front-line employees with the skills they need to better manage health and safety and...
How The Pandemic Has Changed Grocery Shopping
The pandemic has fueled changes in US grocery shopping habits, as consumers working from home made more supermarket trips on weekdays and fewer on Sundays, according to a study of 15 chains including Walmart, Kroger, Whole Foods Market and Trader Joe’s. Early morning shopping has grown in popularity as...
Parking lots provide new point of purchase for grocers
The unprecedented growth of curbside pickup spurred by the pandemic has made the parking lots of many grocery stores a key new point of purchase, forcing many retailers to focus on the first impression their lots are making on customers. In addition to appearance, grocers are also innovating by...
Consumers will demand higher quality shopping experiences & products from retailers in 2020
As consumers continue to place a higher value on enjoyable shopping experiences, retailers will need to offer more than low prices to drive traffic in 2020, including enticing “sights, sounds and smells” in brick-and-mortar stores, seamless shopping across platforms and a wider-selection of premium and private brand products, predict...
Online shoppers still do most grocery shopping in-store
According to FMI and Nielsen, annual online grocery spend is expected to hit $100 billion by 2022. Almost one third of consumers have made an online grocery purchase in the past year, according to research from Valassis. The research indicated that currently 72% of consumers who shop for groceries...