Canadian shoppers are embracing new technologies to help them grab the best deals at the mall and the grocery store, a new survey reveals. But most of us still like the old shopping habits we grew up with, like paper flyers and handwritten shopping lists.
According to the 10th annual BrandSpark Canadian Shopper Study, more Canadians than ever are turning to the Internet and their smartphones to help them with their shopping decisions-- both before they head out, and when they’re shopping.
The survey of 102,000 Canadians found that 37 per cent of shoppers who own smartphones used them to look up products while in store. And, 22 per cent have searched for product reviews on the spot. About 40 per cent of shoppers said they have made a different purchase decision because of information accessed on their smartphone while in stores.
“With smartphones, more and more Canadians are starting to do research and investigate before they make purchases,” Robert Levy, president and CEO of BrandSpark International told CTV’s Canada AM Tuesday. “We’re seeing a big uptake in the use of smartphones.”
Despite all the perks of new technologies, most Canadians say that those flyers that come in the mail or in the local newspaper are still their top source of ideas for shopping trips.
More than 80 per cent of Canadians report that flyers still influence which items make it on their shopping lists. In fact, more than 90 per cent of Canadians read print flyers regularly or occasionally.
Though 26 per cent of Canadians say they regularly read digital grocery store flyers, among those who read both print and digital formats, 71 per cent still prefer the paper format.
As further proof that old habits die hard, more than 80 per cent of Canadians report that they still use a handwritten shopping list when they go shopping, even though nearly 47 per cent of Canadian shoppers own a smartphone.
But that might be changing with the next generation of shoppers: about 30 per cent of shoppers aged 18-34 say they keep a running shopping list on their phone regularly or occasionally.
But no matter how much consumers prepare ahead of time for shopping missions, 69 per cent indicate that even if they brought a shopping list, they will still walk all the aisles, “to be sure not to miss anything I need.” Only 28 per cent claim to be "mission-shoppers" who grab only the items on their list and aim to be finished as soon as possible.
The BrandSpark Canadian Shopper Study is an annual survey that quizzes Canadian consumers on their shopping habits. The study was compiled in collaboration with Wilfrid Laurier School of Business & Economics. The survey also includes the winners for the 10th annual Best New Product Awards, which awarded prizes to 216 products across 70 consumer goods categories.
