Online grocery shoppers are less likely to buy on impulse, leading to lower overall spend and threatening retailers’ profits, new research has found.
The survey of 1,154 online grocery shoppers found that around a third (29 per cent) of respondents said they make far fewer impulse purchases online than in store.
Only seven per cent said that they purchase more impulse buys online than they do in a store.
Price was one of the main reasons online shoppers switched from preferred brands, results found, suggesting that promotions and offers are the best way to “disrupt” online shops and encourage impulse purchases.
The study found that online shoppers are more likely to switch between brands compared to their in-store counterparts, as only 10 per cent said they always stick to the same brands.
The research, conducted by consumer research company eDigitalResearch, said results highlight a significant threat for retailers and their bottom lines as more consumers switch to online shopping.
Derek Eccleston, commercial director at eDigitalResearch, said the growth of online has the ability to “drastically” hamper retailers and suppliers.
“With more of us becoming all the more reliant on online and digital technologies, the online grocery market is only likely to grow. These results suggest that with this online growth, supermarkets are going to see overall spend shrink,” he said.
Eccleston said retailers need to better understand this “new breed” of grocery shopper, to encourage them to spend more and reduce the threat from the growth of online shopping.
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