Three-quarters (75%) of Millennial consumers and more than half (53%) of Gen X consumers have shopped in a store and left without a purchase only to end up buying the item online, according to the annual Zebra Global Shopper Study.
This is mainly due to issues with inventory management, particularly out-of-stocks, with 43% of retailers citing customer complaints about out-of-stocks as their biggest frustration and 39% of shoppers leaving a store without a purchase due to this problem.
Another key finding from the study was that self-checkout systems are gaining traction in retail stores and 86% of shoppers are comfortable with the technology. Further, more than half of shoppers (58%) agree that self-checkout provides an improved customer experience.
Almost 90% of retail executives believe self-checkout frees up staff to better serve customers and 81% reported a return on investment.
The study also found a disconnect between expectations of retailers and shoppers with 77% of retail executives stating that customers are satisfied with the in-store experience, while only 57% of shoppers felt satisfied.
Zebra Technologies APAC Vertical Solutions Lead – Healthcare and Retail, George Pepes said the study shows that while better services will help retain current shoppers and attract new ones, retailers need to have the basics right when it comes to product availability, ease of finding products, returns and exchanges.
“To win with shoppers today, retailers must deliver the seamless, multi-channel experience that customers expect and leverage technology to provide more personalised services for managing inventory and building smarter operations.”