Consumers Expect Retail Channels To Converge By 2014

Most marketing folk are well aware that consumer habits are changing in line with the development of technology. However, what some people may not realise is that consumer expectations for the future are quite well-shaped. This is according to a new global report by Capgemini, called Digital Shopper Relevancy.

The report reveals that consumers are quite definite about the direction they would like to see shopping taking over the next couple of years. The majority of consumers that took part in the poll expect that an all-round shopping experience across all available channels will be the norm by 2014, whereas by 2020 shops will play the part of showrooms, where people might see and select products, Internet Retailing website reports.

Three in five consumers in the UK hope that they will be enjoying a strictly personalised shopping experience, with retail websites memorising their shopping history and providing them with relevant information and suggestions only. By contrast, a much smaller proportion (41%) say they are willing to be identified by their smartphones when they enter a store.

James Roper, chief executive of IMRG, comments that e-commerce has firmly established itself as a leading shopping channel across various international markets. While in countries like the UK and the US its importance for the industry can hardly be a surprise, its strong growth in emerging markets like China and India points to fast adoption by local consumers as well.