A lot of retail news this fall has been all about gearing up for the holiday season – predictions around shopper behavior, consumer demands and more. But what are the hidden facts and figures that matter to customers, and what should retailers care about? We’ve highlighted four of our favorite interesting and relevant retail stats to keep in mind:
48 inches to avoid the butt brush
Fact Retriever, Oct. 18, 2016
Customers want their personal space when shopping and will react negatively if they don’t get it – sometimes going as far as leaving a store without purchasing anything. In fact, it’s so pervasive that the industry has named this phenomenon the “butt brush” factor. When merchandise is placed in a way that customers easily bump into it, they can be dissuaded from buying. It’s been noted that 48 inches is the ideal aisle width for proper merchandise placement.
The price of manhood
Strategic Marketing, Jan./Feb. 2016
The stereotype is that women are more invested in shopping than men, but is it true? When it comes to price checking, it seems to be: While 86 percent of women look at price tags, only 72 percent of men do the same. Perhaps men are so anxious to leave a store that they’re ready to pay any price – and likely pay more for their goods than women as a result.
61 percent dig augmented reality
Biz Report, Oct. 19, 2016
If you thought Pokémon Go was a fleeting trend, think again. Shoppers not only find augmented technology helpful, but also think it is fun and time-saving. Nearly two-thirds (61 percent) of adults say that augmented reality has influenced where they shop. And don’t worry, you won’t have to let your customers chase down a rogue Pikachu in store: Shoppers are really using AR to look for deals, not Pokémon (41 percent use the technology this way).
17 + 10 = 5 times faster
Fortune, Oct. 26, 2016
E-commerce sales are predicted to rise more than 17 percent this holiday season, five times faster than in stores. Consumers seem to be in a spending mood this year and willing to try online shopping; as a result, digital sales are expected to generate 10 percent of all spending for the first time.
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