Why online grocery shopping trends are data driven
Food industry| No Comments
The pandemic changed many things.One of the things that has changed irrevocably is our shopping habits.Majority have become familiar with everything online and got comfortable in shopping.This trend extended to grocery shopping and sellers began to study e-commerce while planning for their sales growth.Buying groceries online is now second nature to most Americans.
Digital grocery shopping as we know it has become commonplace and e-retailers have seen their ratings rise with more and more people doing business with it.It has also led to increased competition in the market, as sellers try to retain and attract customers.
As grocers compete for customer attention, experts believe the ultimate winner will be the one who can provide a service that stands out from the competition in terms of pricing, convenience, and affordability.
The rise of online grocery shopping
With the growth of consumer baskets, Online grocers are busy experimenting with different formats and value offers to keep the customer coming back for more.Case in point – the Instacart “How Homemade is Made” campaign.The dishes featured in the campaign were instantly shoppable using live QR codes that would take the shopper to the recipe on the Instacart app.
The Shoppable Recipes campaign allowed food creators to link their TikTok videos to shopping carts.
Online grocery shopping has undergone a transformation as retailers have found innovative ways to keep customers engaged and cooking.
but, As the effects of the pandemic fade, shoppers are starting to return to supermarkets, Tightening budgets, and inflated food prices as a courtesy, have people juggling their carts.
This sentiment was echoed by Matt Hopkins of Board International, a business intelligence firm.“For online grocers, we are looking at online ‘S-curve’ growth; with inflation now shaping demand and resulting in less disposable income, however, it is set to Retail is “never normal”.We’re essentially talking about a short-term halt in online growth, with most grocers continuing to invest and innovate with their e-commerce offerings as part of their overall growth strategy.“
Hopkins told the Food Institute so As online grocery shopping matures, retailers will have to come up with different models.Whether it’s prompt delivery, convenience, or attractive discounts on bulk items, grocers must reinvent themselves to stay relevant.
In the US, everyone from Walmart to Kroger offers home delivery and has spent the last year building the infrastructure and technology to support their grocery lines.
according to nationan online grocery customer base of approximately 150 million shoppers, nearly half of the country’s population, and is expected to grow in the coming years.
While the numbers are shooting through the roof, it’s no surprise that grocery shopping is defined by data-driven insights and the study of consumer habits.Hopkins recommends investing in business analytics as competition intensifies in the digital grocery space.
The future of digital grocery shopping
Brands like Instacart, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods, and FreshDirect have already made a name for themselves in the online grocery space.
Most of them offer home delivery and loyalty programs and so they manage to keep the prices low.
One of the most successful online shopping services, Instacart, has plans to go public.Instacart’s IPO was, albeit a belated one, on investors’ radar because of its explosive growth, thanks to a solid business model.There are more than 500,000 Instacart shoppers across the United States and Canada.
Tech giant Amazon has also entered the race, creating multiple hubs and offering convenient two-hour windows, along with the help of Alexa.
Ask Alexa stations at Amazon Fresh stores and you’ll get any help they need right away.
According to a recent report by the Food Institute, companies should invest in smart, customer-centric planning practices and processes, and use this data to plot growth strategies.With the increase in online grocery shopping, e-retailers must be equipped to handle the accelerating pace of demands experienced in the industry.
Healthy eating, subscriptions and personal shopping are going to be the three main trends that are ruling digital grocery shopping.And as paying customers become more discerning, brands will be required to analyze and draw on data to fix supply chain issues and meet customer needs..
