Fifty-nine percent of Singapore consumers still prefer in-store shopping despite the rise of pandemic-driven online shopping.
The top reasons for preferring in-store shopping are to touch and feel the product prior to purchase (73%), to assess the sizing fit (70%) and to ensure the good quality of the product (64%)
The study commissioned by Sensormatic Solutions, a global retail solutions portfolio of Johnson Controls, also found 55% of the respondents believe retailers can leverage technology to elevate the in-store shopping experience.
Their expectation for a better shopping experience include stores ensuring that products are well-stocked (50%), having the ability to check physical stock online in real-time before heading to the store (49%) and having a self-checkout option (36%).
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“With Christmas Day predicted to be one of the busiest shopping days in Singapore, marking the peak of in-store traffic, retailers need to be able to anticipate and adapt to consumer concerns and demands. Retailers should leverage innovative solutions [that can provide real-time data and insights] to ensure they are reaching the right consumer with the right item at the right time throughout the season,” says Daren Ng, General Manager, Asia Pacific, Sensormatic Solution.
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Online shopping preferred for virtual goods
The study also revealed that Singapore consumers tend to purchase virtual or intangible goods online. These include banking and financial products, holiday and travel packages, audio or visual content, and books.
Many consumers prefer to purchase food, and luxury or collectable items offline as they can check on these items quality in person. For instance, the majority of Singapore consumers still prefer purchasing fresh food (76%), as well as packaged food and groceries (58%) mostly in stores.
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The top three deterrents for online shopping amongst Singapore consumers include high shipping fees (51%), suspicious online circumstances such as dubious product reviews (41%), and poor online service experiences (29%).
Photo: Unsplash
