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global eyes
The retailer-customer mismatch
NEW RESEARCH FROM Buy Now Pay Later specialist Klarna reveals “a clear disconnect between shoppers’ and retailers’ expectations of omnichannel shopping experiences”.
Indeed, three quarters of retailers think their omnichannel capabilities
are sophisticated while half of Klarna users feel they lack consistency between digital and physical, between website and store.
With the research dubbed Owning Omnichannel: winning at clicks & bricks revealing that almost 90% of Klarna shoppers are using multiple channels to search and spend, it’s unsurprising that almost three quarters of retailers are looking to increase their investment in omnichannel.
However, given the disconnect referred to above, Klarna is asking whether this investment may be misplaced.
A further disconnect, believes
Klarna, is that while 75% of retailers consider themselves to be fairly or
very sophisticated when it comes to omnichannel, half of Klarna users believe
retailers are not joined up enough between their online and in-store operations.
The research makes it clear that physical retail is still an important channel, even for digital savvy shoppers, with a little more than half of Klarna users shopping at bricks & mortar.
However, some retailers misjudge the extent to which shoppers value in-store offerings, with shoppers nearly twice
as likely to value seeing and feeling items they’re buying in real life than the retailers.
Pleasing for Klarna that its research found that 49% of shoppers value being able to see items in store and pay online – whereas only 32% of retailers think this adds value for customers.
Pity the sales assistant however – only roughly one in four customers say they add value to the in-store experience, compared to more than a third of retailers.
Klarna says retailers also fail to fully appreciate the importance of a smooth, easy experience when shopping online.
All but 15% of Klarna shoppers say they value autofill functionality online, but only 33% of retailers think this adds value to the shopping experience.
And, only 45% of retailers believe one-click payment adds significant value for their consumers, whilst 65% of shoppers report this to be one of the most important aspects of their online shopping experience.
With 76% of shoppers valuing the ability to check stock levels in-store via
a website or app, it’s reassuring for the retailers almost half already offer this, and another 38% plan to introduce this over the next year.
Meanwhile, three quarters of shoppers (74%) say flexible payment options add value to their shopping experience, and, while just 50% of retailers currently offer this, a further 34% plan to introduce this in the next 12 months.
The full report Owning Omnichannel: winning at clicks and bricks can be downloaded here:
www.klarna.com/uk/business/2021- owning-omnichannel-report/
46 NZHJ | OCTOBER 2021
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