Customer Satisfaction

Here’s Why You Should Be More Transparent with Your Customers and Employees – Plus: 5 Ideas for Transparency

When it comes to maintaining a successful retail business in 2019, all roads lead back to transparency. We’ve entered a phase of consumer behavior in which honesty is valued even above traditionally prioritized factors like price and brand recognition. As a grocer, this means that you must change your business practices in order to fit this new standard. Without customer transparency, you may not be able to garner customer loyalty – and that could mean the end for your business.

Where You Shop Defines Who You Are: How to Link Your Customer Experience to Your Values

With so many options available to today’s consumer, it’s safe to say that the choices they make about what to buy and where to buy it are intentional. Shopping is no longer all about convenience. In fact, there are many factors that influence a shopper’s decision to purchase from you: including their alignment with your company’s values.

Why Your Staff and Stores are an Asset in a Digital Age

So much of what a consumer does from day to day takes place online. They shop online, communicate digitally, use connected voice assistants in their daily routine, and expect their phones to be within arms’ reach at all times.

Here’s the million dollar question: Is it really worth it to have a brick-and-mortar store in this digital age? All signs point to yes.

Where is Retail Headed in 2019? Experts Describe Their Predictions in One Word

If we could look into a crystal ball and predict upcoming retail trends, well, we probably wouldn’t be here writing this blog post.

Though we don’t have psychic abilities, we do have the power of research on our side. After spending time with some of retail’s most influential experts at National Retail Federation’s Big Show 2019, we are fairly certain of the direction that retail is headed this year.

3 Key Takeaways from NRF 2019

The world of retail is ever-changing. With each year comes a new host of strategies and tactics to consider, new ways to understand consumer thoughts and purchasing habits, and new technology that sets out to make us more efficient and effective.

The one event that sets the stage for the upcoming year in retail is the National Retail Federation (NRF) Big Show, which just concluded its 2019 event. While we took away many lessons about how grocers should adapt to changes within the world of retail, there were a few overarching takeaways that we wanted to call out that affect the entire industry.

Effects of Expiration Dates on Purchasing Decisions

Recent research found 51% of shoppers expect a remaining shelf life of eight (8) or more days if paying full price for perishable food products, while 73% said they expected at least 15 days on non-perishable (center store grocery, OTC/Vitamin) products. The study done by UW-Whitewater in partnership with Date Check Pro provides grocers with a rare insight into how expiration dates and shelf life impact a shopper’s willingness to pay.

Comparing Top Markdown Methods for Short Dated Inventory

When it comes to choosing how a store, or even if, a store should markdown products expiring soon, there are many options to choose from and factors to consider. Are your shoppers drawn by big savings, or is the focus more on an upscale shopping experience? How much product will need to be marked down in any given week? Will you use the same strategy across all departments, or vary it based on storage requirements? Just to name few.

3 Drivers of Grocery Differentiation and an Important First Step to Change

In today’s rapidly-changing grocery environment, supermarkets––especially those in high-competition areas––are investing in new ways to stand out and provide a unique experience for customers.

Of course, taking any significant step in a new direction can bring just as much anxiety as it does excitement. Company leaders want to make sure they’re investing in more than just hype. They need to make decisions informed by hard data and reliable market intelligence.

4 Ways Grocers Can Prepare Their Stores for Online Grocery Shopping

Although many still characterize online grocery shopping as “niche” activity, recent numbers suggest it’s about to grow very soon and likely very rapidly. a January report from Toronto-based e-commerce platform provider Unata found that one in three U.S. consumers intends on grocery shopping online this year––up 64% compared to those who actually did shop for food items online the year before.

3 Consumer Trends Set to Impact Grocery Inventory in 2018

Consumer trends are a strong force in influencing grocery store inventory from year to year––something inventory managers need to keep their finger on. Unfortunately, finding the time to pick through market research is easier said than done for busy store leaders.

To help you paint a clearer picture for the rest of this year (and likely beyond), we’ve gathered some recent consumer grocery trends that may be worth considering when planning inventory changes in the near future.