Canadian Retailer - Summer 2015 - 16

indUstRy REpoRt

the future
of retail
How consumer behaviour
is changing businesses
BY TED SALTER, PARTNER RETAIL
CONSULTING AND DEALS, PWC

MobilE technologies, social networking and

"you will see a continued investment in our online

new approaches to brick-and-mortar stores-
these innovations are shifting the very foun- platform as we explore its full potential to create a
dations of the retail sector, forcing Canadian personalized shopping experience and 'extend the
retailers to think differently about what their aisle' to new customers...Digital is providing us
businesses do and how they do it.
While technological changes provide impetus with the flexibility to experiment with new ways of
for each of these disruptors, it's really the custom- engaging with our customers."
ers that are prompting the change for retailers.
- CHerI antHOnY
Vice President of Digital Merchandising, Walmart Canada
With the ability to get same-time information,
make price comparisons and purchase goods
from almost anywhere at any time, consumers are becoming more to make a purchase. What Canadians are doing,
demanding. They know what they want, and they know how to find however, is using their smartphones to enhance
it. That's why retailers now need to stop focusing their strategy their shopping experience, primarily during the
around their products. These days, shoppers matter more.
pre-purchase phase. According to our survey,
But it can be hard to know what customers really want. That's 45% of Canadians use their smartphones to check
why we conduct an annual Global Total Retail Study, this year in- prices, while 30% use them to locate stores, 25% to
cluding over 19,000 respondents, including 1,000 from Canada. In use coupons and 23% to access loyalty programs.
our Canadian report, Total Retail Survey 2015: Retailing in an Age
These findings suggest Canadian retailers
of Disruption, we analyze major industry disruptors through the should think beyond a single shopping channel.
eyes of the consumer. Our key findings from the report follow.
More than ever, consumers are engaging differently during each phase of the shopping jourEnabling the shopping journey
ney-but they still want their experience to be
Mobile technologies are a major game-changer in the retail seamless. Mobile technologies enable just such
sector. Already, they are blurring the lines between shopping an omnichannel way of thinking. Canadian rechannels by providing customers with additional avenues into tailers need to look at how they can use mobile
the purchasing process, whether they're sitting on an airplane, technologies to extend the value proposition of
walking down the street or standing in a store.
their products beyond what can be listed on the
Compared to the 78% of Canadians who have been shopping on- label. Doing so will answer customer demands
line for more than three years, mobile purchasing has a long way for more information and transparency, while creto go. In fact, 66% of Canadians have never used a mobile phone ating a more integrated, total retail experience.
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canadian REtailER | Summer 2015

Canadian Retailer - Summer 2015

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Canadian Retailer - Summer 2015