NRF Debuts Consumer Behavior Report

NORTH AMERICA–The National Retail Federation has launched Consumer View, a new quarterly report that will gauge consumer behavior and shopping trends related to stores, online channels, customer loyalty, technology and other industry issues.

April 6, 2018

The inaugural Consumer View report found that brick-and-mortar stores are still a cornerstone of American retail.

The NRF is also working with Toluna Analytics to develop the report.

“The retail industry is changing more rapidly than ever before, and this new vehicle will help us continue to regularly track those changes,” says Matthew Sha, president and chief executive officer, NRF. “Solid research is the basis of informed decisions, and we want to be sure the industry has the best information available as it seeks to meet consumers’ needs. That applies whether people are shopping in-store, online, on smartphones and tablets or with whatever innovation tomorrow brings.”

The inaugural report, which surveyed approximately 3,000 consumers, found that despite the recent boom of e-commerce, only 21 percent of consumers surveyed are primarily online shoppers, which is

defined as those who purchase more than half of their items online. By contrast, 79 percent said they purchase half or less of their items online. Among Millennials and Gen Z, 34 percent are primarily online shoppers; however, the majority make most of their purchases in brick-and-mortar stores.

Furthermore, of those surveyed, 86 percent buy their groceries mostly entirely in-store, as do 65 percent of consumers for home improvement items, 64 percent for personal care/beauty products and 57 percent for home décor/furnishings. Meanwhile, the apparel sector is split with 49 percent shopping in stores, 13 percent online and 38 percent shopping equally in-store and online. The consumer electronics category is also largely the same, with 43 percent of consumers shopping in-store, 18 percent online and 39 percent equally. Books, music and video games were the only category where shoppers purchased the majority or all of their items online (37 percent). This category also saw 27 percent of respondents shopping mostly or entirely in store and 36 percent split.

Finally, the Consumer View survey found that consumers are starting to like technologies that “transform” the store experience. For consumers who tried to buy online and pick up in-store, 68 percent said it improved their shopping experience. Similarly, 66 percent of those who had tried in-app store navigation and 65 percent of those who had used mobile payment said it had a positive impact. However, 44 percent of consumers reported that in-store digital displays had no impact on their experience and 43 percent said the same about the use of tablets or smartphones by store associates.