Purchasing groceries with mobile phones still in its infancy in US, with 88.5% of US shoppers saying they have not bought groceries with their phones in last 12 months, survey finds

Cindy Allen

NEW YORK , January 14, 2013 (press release) – Aldata, now Symphony EYC, and a global leader in retail and distribution improvement software, today announced that its second U.S. holiday shopping survey has determined that in the United States shoppers want to use their mobile phones to make shopping easier, more personalized, and to have more control over inventory, but that purchasing groceries with a mobile is still in its infancy.

Conducted by Vision Critical on behalf of Symphony EYC, the survey included one thousand U.S. shoppers during a two-week period over the holiday shopping season. Questions centered on online shopping habits and the benefits and motivations for incorporating mobile technology into their grocery shopping experience. Full results are available here.

Online Convenience -- Overall, 54 percent of respondents said that no lines and no waiting were the greatest benefits to shopping online for groceries.

Mobile Grocery Drivers -- Of those who did use their mobile phones to buy groceries online, 60% said that receiving personalized promotions on their favorite products would make shopping for groceries online easier while almost 73% said they wanted price comparison services available on their mobile phones. But an overwhelming 88.5 percent of respondents said that they had not yet used their mobile phone to actually buy groceries during the past 12 months.

Influencing Store Inventory -- When asked how they would like to influence the products that are stocked within their preferred grocery retailer, 85.9 percent would like to be able to request that a retailer carry or stock a product that they do not currently offer while 79.8 percent would like to be able to give their opinion on what they like/dislike about products. In fact, almost half said they would consider switching to a new grocery retailer if they could influence the products stocked.

Grocery Delivery Options -- As for grocery pick-up and delivery options, 68.7 percent said they preferred traditional store shopping for groceries with 40.2 percent wanting to order online with home delivery. When asked if they would also like to be able to order their groceries and select the relevant pick-up or delivery service through a mobile app, almost half said, "No."

Privacy/Data Profiling -- When asked how they felt about their grocery retailer knowing their shopping habits and using that information to provide products and services to fit their lifestyle, 62.2 percent responded that it was OK as long as their data was safe. Younger shoppers were more likely to want benefits from stores keeping their details while older shoppers were more distrustful.

Social Media – A little over one third of respondents said that their friends' Facebook likes and comments did not affect their shopping purchases at all, while almost a quarter said that they do not use Facebook. Also, it appears that the influence of Facebook diminishes with age.

"Symphony EYC's second holiday shopping survey has determined that in the United States there is an increasing demand to use online and mobile technologies to improve the grocery shopping experience," said Allan Davies , CMO Symphony EYC. "Shoppers want easier, more personalized, and more control over their choices and will make decisions on where they shop based on the level of these services."

About Aldata & Symphony EYC

Aldata is now Symphony EYC, a global provider of retailing and distribution optimization solutions that help retailers, distributors and manufacturers address the challenges of rapid changes in shopper behavior and expectations. Symphony EYC's solutions build shopper trust, retention, and development through accurate, relevant, and on time analytics, marketing, merchandising, store operations, and supply fulfillment. Founded originally in 1988, the company has an unparalleled track record of delivering successful projects for the world's largest retail and consumer brands, national wholesale and distribution organizations, and regional store chains. More at www.symphonyeyc-omni.com or follow us on Twitter at @SymphonyEYC.

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