A recent survey of 1,000 consumers by Radial has revealed that while shopping online remains popular, consumers are also starting to return to shopping in store in larger numbers.
Radial’s survey found 54% of respondents said they are shopping online more now than they did in 2020, with one-third of those saying they shop online a few times a week.
How products are delivered is an important decision-making aspect for online shoppers. Free shipping was found to be the most important consideration and consumers would sacrifice the speed of delivery for it. Only 23% said they would forego free shipping and receive an item they had ordered faster by paying for next-day shipping.
But speed of delivery could also mean changing the products they order. Almost 60% of those surveyed by Radial said they will seek products from other brands or retailers if it meant they could receive them faster.
While online shopping continues its popularity, consumers are also returning to stores. The survey revealed that 63% of shoppers are no longer as worried about COVID-19 and are willing to shop in-person without fear of exposure.
Going to the store to pick up items is also popular with consumers. Radial found 24% of shoppers picked curbside pickup as the second most preferred service while 36% ranked ‘By Online Pickup In Store’ (BOPIS) as their third most preferred service
The price consciousness of consumers is continuing to grow with shoppers who were surveyed. Forty percent of respondents have stopped purchasing items that are not necessities, while 34% have delayed less-important purchases. Another 26% reported they had bundled purchases for online orders to reduce fees or shipping costs.