Price comes before brand loyalty for UK shoppers

Thursday, 05 November 2009

British shoppers lead the way in Europe when it comes to getting the best deal with many searching online for bargains, according to a global study by self-service provider NCR Corporation.

The research found UK shoppers have the lowest level of customer loyalty in Europe, just half that of those in Germany, with almost two thirds switching retailers in a bid to save money.

Many shoppers use the internet to cut costs but 34 per cent still want to be able to look at the products in-store before making their purchase. However, 41 per cent go on to complete their transactions online.

"The economic climate has made consumers far more likely to shop around across multiple channels," said Elton Birden, managing director at NCR.

"This makes it vitally important that retailers make it easy to assess, purchase and return goods both online and in-store.

By bringing the digital experience in-store via interactive media, such as price checker touchscreens and self-service checkouts, retailers are increasingly offering customers an innovative and speedy service."

NCR said retailers were investing in technologies such as in-store kiosks, designed to provide expert guidance to customers choosing products ranging from electrical goods to wines.

This was in addition to self-checkouts, which are more compact than regular tills, allowing many more till-points in-store.

They aim to reduce queuing and free up staff to improve service levels in-store.

As consumers now spend more time evaluating brands, 74 per cent of those who took part in the NCR survey said they want to be able to complete their purchases more quickly.

UK retailers have responded by investing in self-checkouts at the fastest rate since the technology was first introduced. About 15,000 will be in operation across UK stores in 2011, up from 7,000 last year, according to research by retail consultancy RBR.

"Self-service technologies are proving central to retailers' business and growth strategy as we emerge out of the recession, helping them to attract and retain more customers," said Birden.

"They not only improve the shopping experience for consumers but also help to increase retailers' operational efficiencies."

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