Does it sound familiar when you keep an eye on the price of your favorite food items at the grocery store, experiencing a mini heart attack every time you see a price hike? Or when you shift through different retail outlets, both online and offline, just to ensure you’re getting the best value for your money?
You're not alone. This scenario is becoming increasingly familiar to many Americans, with recent economic challenges painting an interesting picture of the customer experience landscape.
According to dunnhumby's latest "Consumer Trends Tracker" report, perception often outstrips reality when it comes to inflation, especially in the context of food-at-home inflation rates. Here's a snapshot of the situation:
-The public believe the food-at-home inflation rate to be 15 points higher than the actual 7.1% annual rate as reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Despite a 1.6% drop in consumer perception of food inflation (down to 22.6%), the actual rate of food inflation has fallen by 4.9% since the previous report.
Notably, the report highlights that more consumers are price-conscious, indicating an increasing tendency to hunt for the best deals: 40% of consumers are shopping at various stores to ensure they get the most bang for their buck a 9% rise year-over-year.
Sadly, the pinch of economic hardship is acutely felt at the dining table, with 36% of U.S. families missing meals over the past year due to financial reasons. Particularly in states like Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, and West Virginia, the level of food insecurity (36%) and financial instability (70%) remains alarmingly high.
However, the report isn't all doom and gloom. It presents intriguing data on the evolving customer behavior and highlights areas ripe for growth and opportunities for retailers:
53% of consumers are influenced by social media when it comes to grocery purchases. Facebook leads the charge with 37%, followed by YouTube at 31% and Instagram at 24%.
There's a notable rise in the use of omnichannel resources with 28% of consumers ordering groceries online for delivery, a 9% increase year-over-year.
Checking prices online before or during shopping is now a routine for 40% of customers, up 9% from the previous year. Moreover, 37% are interacting with retailer apps, showing a 7% growth.
Retailer apps now rank second in consumers' preferred contact methods with their retailers, only surpassed by email.
A whopping 80% of consumers are part of at least one grocery rewards program, which is segmented into light users (20%), medium users (44%), and heavy users (16%).
Interestingly, heavy users of grocery reward programs tend to spend an extra $79 on groceries each month compared to non-loyalty customers. This cohort tends to have children, be aged between 35-44, and earn a household income over $100,000.
We're in an era of discerning and informed consumers who're not just seeking value for money but are also making smart, strategic decisions about where and how they shop. It is the responsibility and opportunity for brands and retailers to meet these savvy consumers halfway, leveraging technology, data, and a deep understanding of customer needs to enhance the customer experience. The reimagined customer experience isn't just about transactional interactions; it's about relationships, understanding, and meaningful engagement.