With the help of social media and new technologies, consumers are empowered to research and share their opinion on products and brands like never before. Combined with the increase in competition, changing consumer behaviour, and a volatile economy, growing grocery sales online is both a major challenge and an opportunity for supermarkets.
Reviews and ratings are especially impactful for new or unknown brands and products and also for new or older customers. It makes sense, then, that 72% of online grocery shoppers indicate that they are more likely to purchase a grocery item they’ve never purchased before if there are customer reviews for that product.
The report notes 38% of new product purchases begin with shoppers conducting online research, and 82% of consumers say they consult their phones while inside stores.
Consumer-generated content in the form of online ratings and reviews is the biggest influencer, with shoppers saying they trust on reviews three times more than traditional marketing efforts.
