A better understanding of changes in the retail sector
In the face of e-commerce, traditional stores are not doomed. To continue attracting customers, they need to better integrate consumer irritants. Digital tools and services can help.
Béatrice Siadou-Martin, University of MontpellierMbaye Fall DIALLO, University of LilleSandrine Heitz-Spahn, IAE Metz School of Management - Université de Lorraine and Souad Djelassi, University of Lille
Given the difficulties faced by BHV and the recent slaughter of the ready-to-wear sector, everyone has a right to wonder about the future of department stores and, more generally, physical stores, especially as e-commerce continues to grow.
The French e-commerce federation (Fevad) estimates e-commerce sales at 150 billion euros in 2023. This represents an increase of 10% in one year. Another figure points to the widespread use of the Internet: 70.1% of French people aged 15 and over have made an online purchase in the last 12 months.
And yet, despite these indicators, which could be seen as worrying for physical formats, there are ways for retailers and brands to remain resilient, as shown by the study carried out jointly by Procos and the Thil Association among a sample of 529 respondents (including 210 young people under 25 and 319 people over 25, representative of the French population).
Limiting irritants
Even if most purchasing paths begin with an Internet consultation for non-food goods, the smartphone is not the alpha and omega of the commercial relationship. As a result, people generally feel they waste time when using social networks (score of 4.58 out of 7). In addition, the ads they receive on their mobiles seem to waste their time (score of 5.46 out of 7).
Shopping is perceived more as a pleasure (3.19 out of 5) than as a waste of time (2.73 out of 5), an encouraging statement for retail players. Brands and retailers therefore need to better understand the "shopping" experience. According to the same survey, the three main reasons for wasting time in-store are: paying at the checkout (3.62/5), finding the product in-store (3.48/5) and finding the sales assistant or information (3.30/5).
Consumers no longer want to waste time
This perception differs according to the age of the respondents: the under-25s are more sensitive to the travel time between home and the store, and to the time needed to find a parking space or to make an in-store purchase. Conversely, the over-25s feel that they waste more time finding a sales assistant to get advice. https://www.youtube.com/embed/kcXaF4DAms4?wmode=transparent&start=0 La Provence.
It should be noted that wasting time has negative consequences on the commercial relationship: abandoning purchases (3.68/5), changing store or merchant site (3.37/5). It also generates negative feelings such as anger (3.64/5) or bad mood (4.15/5). These negative feelings are significantly higher among the under-25s.
Digital: necessary but not enough
If an exclusively digital scenario doesn't meet consumers' expectations, digital devices shouldn't be discarded. They can reduce the irritation of the experience. For example, self-checkouts are considered an effective time-saving solution. Consumers report frequent use of self-checkouts: 52.2% say they use them often or all the time for food shopping, and 50.7% for non-food shopping. In the same vein, the drive-thru is gaining ground. 30.6% of respondents use them at least once a month for food, and only 17% for non-food.
Without explanation or support, and without real added value for the consumer, these new point-of-sale technologies "waste too much of people's time" (3.80 out of 7 for the sample, with a significant age gap: 3.91 for the over-25s). Retailers and brands need to find a balance between places where people can spend time, and our society's perception of the acceleration of time. Overall, people have the impression of running out of time and being in a hurry (3.19 out of 5 for the sample and a significant age gap; 3.39 for the under 25s).
An indescribable human role
It's all about putting people back at the heart of commercial interaction. The salesperson or consultant is, and remains, the facilitator of commercial exchanges: he or she explores and understands the consumer's needs, knows what to offer and knows how to adapt...
Although this profession enjoys a favorable attitude, it faces many difficulties in attracting, recruiting and retaining talent. In the age of telecommuting and the four-day week, what about working conditions that include staggered hours and weekend work? This sector undoubtedly needs to communicate the positive aspects and successes of this profession, and remind people of the social progression possible within it.
Emmanuel Le Roch, General Delegate of Procos, contributed to this article.
Béatrice Siadou-Martin, University Professor of Management Sciences, University of Montpellier; Mbaye Fall DIALLO, University Professor, Management (brand management, innovation, digitalization), University of LilleSandrine Heitz-Spahn, Senior Lecturer in Management Sciences, IAE Metz School of Management - Université de Lorraine and Souad Djelassi, Maître de Conférences HDR (management sciences-marketing), University of Lille
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