Segmenting the digital shopper
Successful retailers understand that knowing your customer is a key part of delivering a tailored experience. In the offline world that can be quite straightforward – you can see the people coming into your shop, ask them questions about their needs and provide the right answers and products.
Online it is more difficult – while you can look at the customer journey, it can be hard to build the same level of empathy with customers without face to face contact. However new research from Capgemini demonstrates that you can segment online customers to help deliver personalised service.
For its Digital Shopper Relevancy report, Capgemini surveyed 16,000 online consumers across 16 countries in both the developed and developing world. Overall the study found that customers increasingly expect shopping to be a seamless, multichannel experience, with retail stores acting as showrooms where they can select and order products. The research found significant differences both between the developed and developing world and types of shopper, each of which uses digital channels and devices in different ways during their shopping journeys.
The six types identified by Capgemini are:
1. Techno-Shy Shoppers (13.3% of respondents)
This group is simply not interested in new technologies and shops online infrequently, preferring personal contact rather than using the latest device
2. Occasional Online Shoppers (16.1% of respondents)
Again low users of the online channel, but a bit more confident that the techno-shy. They value factors such as flexible return options, lots of product information and good customer service
3. Value Seekers (13.5% of respondents)
Price sensitive shoppers who use the internet to find the lowest prices on products that they have selected through other channels. They tend to buy fashion and personal healthcare items and want an easy shopping process with clear information available on the web.
4. Rational Online Shoppers (14.7% of respondents)
Relatively confident online shoppers, but low users of social media or smartphone apps. They know what they want and look around to find it, valuing well-functioning online stores.
5. Digital Shopaholics (17.6% of respondents)
Early adopters who increasingly use smartphone apps and in-store technology during the customer journey. Spending more of their budgets online they want to communicate electronically with retailers. They are unafraid to share their opinions, good or bad, on social media.
6. Social Digital Shoppers (24.8% of respondents)
Digital natives, they use technology across the entire customer journey through multiple devices. Big social media users, they are happiest with mobile channels to research and pay for products as well as to communicate with retailers. Due to their relatively young age however they don’t yet have the spending power of other groups online.
Hopefully retailers will recognise the traits listed above – the big question is how do these types reflect your customer demographic and are you providing what they need to have a seamless, successful experience?
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