According to a global poll performed by Foresight Factory in collaboration with Snap, customers demand ‘connected shopping’ and AR deployed shopping experience. Combining a digital experience with being in a physical store is crucial to drawing people back to the store, as shoppers said they want to enjoy the benefits of online purchasing in-store.
The findings reveal that, despite many of the issues that retail establishments face worldwide, the internet can be an effective tool in drawing consumers back into stores by providing them with a more engaging and efficient “connected” experience. This is especially true for young people. Customers are increasingly anticipating the benefits of online and offline purchasing across the whole shopping journey, with in-store convenience complemented by online product testing and engagement.
According to the report, 58 percent of UAE consumers, including 54 percent of Millennials and 58 percent of Gen Z, always use their phones while shopping in stores, and 6 in 10 UAE shoppers would visit a store specifically if it offered interactive services that allowed them to virtually try on items. Around 40% of shoppers indicate that not being able to see, touch, and try on products is the most important obstacle that prevents them from purchasing online, indicating an increasing demand for online product testing and try on.
The report into the future of shopping habits also found:
The comprehensive study by Foresight Factory, which was conducted in 12 markets: Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, The Netherlands, Norway, Saudi Arabia, UAE, UK, and US, found that there is a growing expectation that technology will play an increasingly important role in ‘real-life shopping,’ and that the mobile is at the heart of this shift, allowing consumers to discover and interact with brands.
MeabhQuoirin, co-founder and CEO of Foresight Factory, says: “Consumers are demonstrating a clear desire for the human interaction that comes with in-person shopping, alongside the convenience and engagement of online shopping. ‘Connected shopping’ should be at the heart of brands’ strategies to drive shoppers back into their stores, as our study shows that when brands embrace technologies both in-store and online they could further strengthen and deepen their connections with consumers.”
Hussein Freijeh, General Manager of Snap Inc. in the Middle East says: “The pandemic has had a significant impact on the shopping experience in the UAE, driving a major shift towards a more digital world while also affecting online shopping behaviors. Our study with Foresight Factory underlines that consumers nowadays prefer to have a hybrid shopping experience that combines the best of the physical and online worlds. To achieve that, brands should reimagine their approach to create a distinctive, social and efficient experience for their customers.”
The report identifies a significant opportunity for online retailers, particularly in the area of innovation, with lockdown measures hastening the already burgeoning e-commerce business. 2 in 3 UAE consumers claim to have increased their online purchasing since the outbreak, with 74% of those who have used augmented reality while shopping online saying it prompted them to buy. According to the survey’s conclusions, the current virtual economy market comprises practically the entire population of the UAE, with 9 out of 10 customers admitting that they would consider purchasing a virtual good for any reason.
One of the biggest challenges for UAE businesses is that one out of every two customers is concerned about catching Covid-19 while shopping. Buyers still want to try things on, with six out of ten online shoppers indicating that they are turned off when they are unable to do so. The inability to try on products in-store before purchasing them was a significant source of dissatisfaction for nearly half of worldwide consumers during Covid-19. Customers expect technology to overcome this difference in expectations, with 35% of UAE shoppers expecting augmented reality to be available in-store in the near year, allowing them to try on garments in-store while feeling secure.
