Canadian Retailer - Store 2016 - 51

Low prices and high value rewards
When it comes to fostering engagement, one thing
that's abundantly clear in the total retail study is
that price is still king for Canadians when it comes
to retailer offerings. In fact, 66 per cent of Canadian
consumers shop at their favourite retailer because of
price. Canadians' perceptions of reward programs
dovetail with this focus, with the majority saying the
top benefit they want in a reward program is points
converted to cash.
Email offers and mobile access to information
Two-thirds of Canadians still prefer to receive offers from retailers by email. Mobile offers, including text and app-based offers, remain more relevant
to consumers in emerging markets-like in China,
where over half of consumers want offers sent to their
mobile devices. Instead, Canadians are using mobile
devices for other activities-like researching product
information while in-store.

The intersection of when, what and how

Increasing relevance can't be managed in a vacuum.
To be successful, retailers need to develop a strong knowledge of their customer's shopping habits and make sure
they have the technologies and tools in place to deliver
their engagement activities in a timely manner.

Convenient omni-channel experience
Online shopping is considered a major channel for
Canadian consumers-with almost half saying they
shop online for the convenience. Since Canadians
generally see online shopping simply as an alternative to how they shop today, this focus isn't surprising.
Globally, Canadian consumers are at the lower end of
online shoppers-with only 15 per cent of Canadians
shopping online weekly, compared to almost 25 per
cent doing the same in the United States and over 50
per cent in China.

What do Canadian consumers want?

While retailers should examine their customer data in
detail before developing a personalized customer engagement strategy, it can be beneficial to start by looking at the
distinctive characteristics of Canadian shoppers. For companies just beginning to focus on omni-channel engagement, looking at what customers are doing and thinking
can help with prioritizing activities.
According to our 2016 Global Total Retail Study, Canadian consumers are unique compared to their global
counterparts. While most global consumers want retail
innovation to focus on providing them with all-new, faster models to get them what they want, most Canadian
consumers simply want to make their current shopping
experience better. But there are indications that a shift is
coming-with the majority of millennials (18- to 34-yearolds) more aligned with global consumers than with
those in older Canadian demographics.
The study also showcases a few other consumer desires that are relevant for retailers looking to create
a more personalized customer engagement strategy.
These include:
www.retailcouncil.org/cdnretailer

Turning insights into action: Where can retailers
start connecting with customers?

Many Canadian retailers recognize that they need
to become more personal when engaging with their
consumers-they just aren't sure how to do it. As a
starting point, retailers should ask themselves the
following questions:
How relevant is my customer engagement today?
Retailers need to conduct an assessment of where
they are today in terms of how their current operating model, tools, channels and communications allow for personalized engagement. An unflinching
assessment is critical to determine the right path forward to make sure future investments build on existing initiatives, make the most of available data and
are focused on achieving desired outcomes. A customer engagement maturity mapping model is often
applied to determine where the retailer fits in when
compared to other interactions the shopper may experience throughout their day.

STORE 2016 | CANADIAN RETAILER

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http://www.retailcouncil.org/cdnretailer

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