Canadians increasingly embracing digital shopping technologies
TORONTO, June 4, 2012 /CNW/ - An IBM study of more than 2,000 Canadian
consumers shows in 2011 we placed more trust in the retailers and
manufacturers we interact with than ever before. In fact, our trust in
retailers and manufacturers has doubled over the past year.
While family and friends still rank highest among trusted influencers,
they and all other sources including product experts and customer
reviews lost trust to the benefit of retailers and manufacturers, who
collectively scored 26 per cent of the "trust ranking" score (12 and 14
per cent respectively) in the 2011 study, up from 13 per cent in 2010
(four per cent and nine per cent respectively).
The Canadian results were part of IBM's third global study to examine
peoples' shopping beliefs, attitudes and habits. In the most recent
study, more than 28,000 consumers in 15 countries were surveyed, and
approximately one million digital conversations were listened to.
"The survey shows Canadian retailers are gaining traction as they begin
to recognize trust - which is the strongest driver of both advocacy and
spend - matters," says Pinar Cardwell, associate partner in IBM's
retail consulting practice. "The key is retailers must monitor consumer
dialogue and sentiment on how well they are faring. Retailers who
listen and engage in these dialogues will be best-positioned to build
trust and loyalty by addressing consumers' evolving expectations."
Canadian consumers empowered by digital shopping technologies
The survey also showed Canadian consumers are digitally savvy in their
shopping habits. Fifty per cent of survey respondents in Canada said
they would use mobile devices to check out of a retail location and
receive promotions at the point of sale, and 68 per cent said they were
not concerned with security when using their mobile device.
Thirteen per cent of Canadian consumers are willing to use three or more
technologies such as websites, social networks, videos or mobile
devices, to shop. Among them, the idea of buying with a TV remote in
response to a commercial or product placement in a show is quickly
gaining popularity, the survey also revealed.
The rapid influx of digital data is posing new challenges for retailers.
Customers are sharing experiences widely online, giving them more
control and influence over brands, and are looking for a more
personalized shopping experience. Increasingly, retailers are
responding and using sophisticated analytics to gain insight and adjust
marketing messages to address what they are hearing on the wire.
"Retailers must now deploy an evolved strategy for redefining the
customer experience to deepen the brand relationship and build the
trust necessary to create brand advocates who will promote the retailer
to others," said Elizabeth Evans, associate dean, Ted Rogers School of
Management.
For more information, visit http://www.ibm.com/smarterplanet/ca/retail
To download a copy of the IBM retail report, visit http://www-935.ibm.com/services/us/gbs/thoughtleadership/ibv-empowered-consumer.html