Shopping trends for 2023: omnichannel shopping, customer experience and online decisions

The
business landscape in Italy is increasingly broader
and companies are driven to invest more and more in
customer experience and user experience
, so as to intercept the needs and desires of its customers. The new year has only started a few weeks ago, but we can already see some
Interesting trends in purchasing trends
, partly based on what has happened as we approach the holiday season, traditionally the time when people are most likely to spend.

One Google and Ipsos study had shown that in 2021, 68% of Italian consumers made Expenditures through five or more channels, demonstrating that the Multichannel plays an increasingly important role: The number of purchases by omnichannel shoppers is 2.4 times higher than those who buy only through one or two types of channels.

At the same time it should be noted that
in recent months 81% of consumers have taken a number of measures to reduce costs
. This is a reason that must Push companies to understand how behaviors are changing, thus shaping a new digital marketing strategy. A fresh study conducted by Google and Ipsos reports that. 80 percent of people who shopped in the run-up to the holiday season did research before buying a product, and thus only 20 percent made impulse purchases.

Online reviews, price comparisons, and recommendations from family and friends are the resources to rely on to feel confident when making major purchases. More than a third of shoppers said they were more receptive to brands they had not previously purchased from and this is a great opportunity for new entities to put themselves on the map and make themselves known.

One of the most widely used business levers is that of discounting. Consumers are looking to make the most of their budgets, and thus the eventual lowering of prices was a crucial driver during the holiday season. Google research shows that, globally, half of people who shop said they will choose where to buy based on who has better deals and promotions. However, confrontation is not the only powerful tool for influencing consumer decisions.

Indeed, the study found that the effectiveness of a discount could be
outweighed by the number of displays of very positive star ratings or the promise of free delivery and returns
. These are the principles of the behavioral science and related tactics, which have proven more effective than a 10 percent discount in influencing consumer choice. However, the
talk of quality
, which was the most important parameter for 81% of buyers during the Christmas season.

According to a study carried out by Ipsos and commissioned by Google, 86 percent of
’86 percent of consumers say online sources help them make more informed decisions.
Consumers not only use digital channels to shop online, but also to prepare for an in-store visit. During 2023, people will be led to think more about purchases, expanding the number of brands considered and using digital resources heavily to assist in decision-making.

A relevant customer experience and that it is truly exciting must be based primarily on three basic pillars: simplicity, satisfaction, pleasantness. In essence, it is crucial to minimize the effort undertaken by the consumer to purchase a product or service, one must Meet the basic and ancillary needs of the customer, it is important to make the experience enjoyable by making a positive journey through the various physical and virtual touchpoints.