What consumers want from an online grocery shopping experience
Gina Garven talks online presentation of produce
New research from Robinson Fresh delves into how consumers want fresh fruits and vegetables displayed on retailer websites, a topic more relevant than ever as record numbers of consumers are shopping online amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Gina Garven, vice president of commercial development and analytics for Eden Prairie, Minn.-based Robinson Fresh, noted that highlighting deals is just as important online as in store.
“Knowing what’s on sale is important to 90% of our respondents and should have priority on the page,” Garven said. “Not too far behind are promos, which 77% of our respondents said is important to them as they shop online. Having a sale banner, items flagged as being on sale, or a separate page dedicated to those items on sale (or) promo is a great way to grab shoppers’ attention right away.”
Robinson Fresh’s research also found that, on individual product pages, consumers would appreciate better visuals. Seventy-two percent of respondents said a 360-degree video would be helpful, while 61% said a streaming image of the product on the shelf would be useful to them.
More than half of the shoppers also indicated they’d like a video about the origin of an item or how to prepare it. Taking the opportunity to boost product pages with this kind of content can give shoppers ideas and prompt them to consider incremental purchases, similar to what a great display or prominent signage calling out seasonality might do in store.
Garven used mangoes as an example of a product that could be added to baskets based on additional information on a product page.
“The online platform gives you such a great communication vehicle to talk to the shopper, give them that education, show them a video of how to cut it, tag it for a great salsa or a great recipe idea, and bring that item to the top of the page,” Garven said. “There’s just so much you can do in that space to think creatively about how you bring the in-store merchandising ideas online in a new way that allows you actually to have more flexibility.”
For any retailer, building out a catalog of product images, videos and searchable attributes is quite the project, but Garven notes that suppliers have a role to play also. They can support their customers by supplying strong images, keywords, recipes ideas, information on how the item fits into various diets, and more.
“It’s a collaboration,” Garven said. “It’s not all on the end retailer. It’s also on us as suppliers to support that.”
Website features that spotlight a shopper’s frequently ordered items are another way to drive online sales.
“Sales and promos are important to keep your shoppers coming back, but also don’t let them forget to buy something that’s regularly in their cart,” Garven said. “(Whether) that’s a reminder when they’re checking out, or a push notification via email to see if they need to restock, 63% of our respondents would find a reminder helpful and 75% would like daily notifications about sales.
“Be sure to make reordering easy,” Garven said. “83% of our respondents like easy reorder functionality when shopping online.”
Some shoppers may even be open to subscribing for certain items that are staples for them, she noted.
“Forty-three percent of our respondents said they would use a subscription service for all of their produce items, and 40% for some,” Garven said. “Especially once trust is established, that number could increase.”
