Shopping Is Not Just About Saving Money These Days

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July 27, 2010

American consumers have re-learned how to shop — and in the process reshaped the playing field for both consumer packed goods companies and retailers.

The recession made it necessary for Americans to rethink and adjust their shopping patterns, which has resulted in a more strategic, informed — and even calculating —approach to a shopping game previously driven by impulse, advertising responsiveness and the fundamental attractiveness of brands, according to a joint study by Deloitte and Harrison Group titled, “The 2010 American Pantry Study: The New Rules of the Shopping Game.”

The study found that 92 percent of people surveyed have changed their grocery shopping behavior in the last two years. In particular, 89 percent said they have become more resourceful while 84 percent say they are more precise when they shop.

Although this new shopping approach is generally based on spending less, 65 percent) of people do not feel like they are sacrificing much. In fact, 79 percent reported feeling smarter about the way they shop versus two years ago. It seems consumers have embraced a persistent recessionary mindset, as 93 percent surveyed said they will remain cautious and keep spending at their current levels, even if the economy improves.

“We continue to witness consumers creating a whole new rule book and skill set for shopping that’s based on value, not boasting of brands,” said Pat Conroy, vice chairman and Deloitte’s U.S. consumer products practice leader. “Our analysis concludes that personal gratification and a desire to feel smart about what consumers are putting in their shopping carts are trumping brand satisfaction, and that price-consciousness, value-orientation and bargain-hunting will remain prevalent for years to come.”

To play the new game of shopping, consumers plan resourcefully and often follow their game plan precisely, resulting in a win for them at check-out.

Four Consumer Segments
The Deloitte/Harrison Group study revealed four distinct shopper decision strategies, embodied by four segments of consumers, each reflecting their own attitudes and resourcefulness:

• Super Savers manage their resourcefulness at the cash register, hunting for and taking pleasure in savvy price management through extensive coupon collection.
• Sacrificers manage resourcefulness at the shelf, selecting among competing products on the basis of unit price, shopping more store brands and eliminating convenience shopping.
• Planners address resourcefulness through pantry management where they plan out meals, accept bulk pack discounts and set fixed spending limits. 
• Spectators are the most loyal to national brands and were the least impacted by the recession, but still strive to be resourceful. Their pursuit of value still allows room for specialty goods, but they learn how to save by taking advantage of in-store discounts.

Three of these shopper segments — Super Savers, Planners and Spectators — which combined account for about 80 percent of shoppers –– have little intention of returning to their old shopping practices. They see the changes they have made as having led to emotional, as well as practical, rewards and they do not believe they have made unacceptable trade-offs in the marketplace.

Sacrificers, on the other hand, are not as pleased with the changes they have had to make, particularly when it comes to the adoption of store brands.

The study also uncovered that loyalty cards are very important to shoppers with 84 percent reporting having at least one, and 65 percent describing them as an “essential/very important” money-saving practice. Forty-four percent of consumers surveyed are now using loyalty cards in grocery stores every time they shop.

Coupons are another popular tool with 67 percent of people increasing their coupon usage and finding them across a variety of media outlets including: newspapers (59 percent), mail (54 percent), store (53 percent) and online (41 percent).

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