Convenience store consumers are driven by “mission-led” behaviour, according to Co-op Media Network.
The research, conducted in partnership with research consultancy Trinity McQueen, found these consumers often underestimated how much they would buy and were committed to making a purchase. They were also more open to guidance from in store advertising campaigns.
As part of the study, the pair conducted post-purchase interviews and accompanied shoppers in three large and three small Co-op stores.
It highlighted that 68% of shoppers visited convenience stores with no set list and shopped with a need in mind, such as “something for breakfast”.
Co-op chief membership & customer officer Kenyatte Nelson said: “Convenience is different and this new behavioural study further supports the importance and influence of small store advertising campaigns.
“We take pride in our expertise in convenience, enabling us to effectively understand the needs of our shoppers and significantly enhance the ROI for the brands that partner with Co-op Media Network.”
Related Story
In larger stores, data indicated the opposite: there was more planning and less behavioural flexibility when shopping. The research also showed that shoppers at smaller stores would pick up a basket mid-shop after selecting more items than they originally planned.
It highlighted that smaller format stores consumers expected to see new and different brands.
The study found that the first product a customer saw in store influenced their purchasing decisions. According to Trinity McQueen and Co-op Media Network, this challenges current assumptions that shoppers go into store wanting to purchase a certain brand when they need something.
It also highlighted that shoppers felt more committed to making a purchase in small stores, with 88% of consumers purchasing a substitute if their planned product was not available.
Trinity McQueen research director Becki Jarvis said: “Our behavioural study with Co-op shows that convenience store shoppers arrive with fewer fixed plans, greater openness to persuasion, more willingness to experiment and a stronger reliance on in-store to guide their decisions.”
Click here to sign up to Retail Gazette‘s free daily email newsletter
