NEWS
45
RETAIL SURVEY
// 78% OF RESPONDENTS STATES SALES
ASSOCIATES WITH A DEEP KNOWLEDGE OF THE
PRODUCT RANGE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT
FACTOR WHEN SHOPPING //
consumers. Retailers need data retailers possess and their
to consider both dynamics in ability to glean insight from it.
their search for talent. For five More than a third of retailers
consecutive years, the survey are struggling to implement a
has shown that a significant strategy to provide a single view
percentage of global consumers of the customer.
shop in-store at least once a week.
This year, the survey results
indicate how important certain INVEST IN THE STORY – NOT
TRADITIONAL ADVERTISING
attributes are in relation to the Increasingly, more of the global
in-store shopping experience. population isn’t attracted to
According to the survey findings, traditional advertising – they
78% of respondents (South Africa: want authentic information they
90%) stated that, ‘sales associates can find at their fingertips - what
with a deep knowledge of the are their friends doing, which
product range’ was the most brands are hot on social media,
important factor. what is trending with their
Another important factor for
the in-store shopping experience,
favourite influencers.
Consumers regularly use
according to the respondents, ‘traditional’ social networks such
is the ‘ability to check other as Facebook and Twitter to find
store or online stock quickly’ inspiration for their purchases
(Global: 68%; South Africa: (Global 39%; South Africa: 46%).
82%). Furthermore, the findings The survey results show that
highlight the importance of staff consumers use social media as
and an indication that training part of their shopping experience
store associates is well worth the to read reviews, comments and
investment. But store associates feedback (Global: 32%; South
are just part of the talent story for Africa: 56%). Social media also
retail investment as some retailers continues to be a major source
today don’t even have a significant of inspiration for the discovery
physical store footprint. of new brands and products
(Global: 32%; South Africa: 55%).
INVEST IN BIG DATA
One of the top issues for retailers
today is parlaying the enormous INVEST IN MORE
SECURE PLATFORMS
amount of customer data they On the one hand, technology
generate into actionable insights. provides a lot of new, exciting
In a recent PwC/SAP retailer study, opportunities for shoppers but,
39% of retailers say that creating on the other, it also increases the
value out of reams of consumer risk for all kinds of cyber breaches,
data is their biggest challenge. including data hacking. The survey
Huge gaps still exist today in the results confirm that about two-
DIY & INDUSTRIAL TRADE NEWS APRIL 2017