HAMBURG / SANTA MONICA. Augmented Reality, Circular Economy and “Connected Shopping”: A survey of 20,000 consumers worldwide carried out by the international trend research agency Foresight Factory and Snap – the company behind Snapchat – provides clues as to what shopping will look like in the future – at least if it meets the expectations of the young buyer groups, the Millennials (born 1981-1996) and Generation Z (born 1995-2010).
Retail reloaded
According to the study, the enthusiastic young consumers who return to the shops after months of mere online shopping do so primarily because they long for the “social and tactile moments” of the shopping experience; In any case, that is the decisive motive desire, not the need. Around 48% of those surveyed plan to do the majority of their fashion purchases online – a figure that is far lower for personal care products (19%) and groceries (8%).
Nevertheless, the product test in the fashion trade (as well as with jewelry, accessories and make-up) remains important: More than 40% of consumers passed it, with Generation Z with 49% even almost half.
According to the study, retailers cannot rely solely on the advantage of trying it out if they want to see young groups of buyers more frequently in their stores: They want smart technology – such as “smart mirrors” and interactive screens – as well as a personalized customer experience. Of course, the experience character is also in the foreground with these technologies.
The connected buyer
Among young consumers, smartphones are indispensable for both online shopping and in-store – cell phones must be thought of as an “extension of the physical retail store”.
With all the focus on experience, environmental awareness is not neglected: Second-hand, waste reduction and recycling are in demand in all industries. (red)
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