• Over half of Romanian consumers want a high-tech shopping experience in the future (54%)
  • 37% of customers expect a Premium experience at affordable prices
  • Only 16% of customers are interested in an Omnichannel experience
  • Safety and social distancing remain a priority when shopping in brick and mortar stores

The monthly data provided by the Consumer Trends.Live platform indicate that most Romanians expect a High-Tech (54%), Omnichannel (16%) and Premium experience, at affordable prices (37%) in the Store of Tomorrow.

the-store-of-tomorrow

Over half of Romanian consumers expect a high-tech shopping experience in the future (54%)

The COVID-19 pandemic has restricted, and even completely eliminated the option to shop offline. Thus, online shopping was the only way customers could purchase the products they needed, from the brands they desired.

According to the Consumer Trends.Live study, most Romanian consumers want a High-Tech experience, which will mainly define the Store of Tomorrow.

This expected experience was defined by the study’s respondents as integrating:

  • Mobile Apps with an intuitive and friendly interface, created to facilitate the purchasing process (28%)
  • Gadgets and technologies implemented to optimise the purchasing process in brick and mortar stores (such as tablets, QR codes, shopping carts with barcode scanner, digital panels, electrical shopping carts, phone charging stations) (11%)
  • Virtual wardrobes and mirrors in stores
  • 3D Visualisation of products available in both offline and online shops
  • The possibility to test products through VR technology
  • Custom virtual mannequins
  • Cashless payment methods (self checkout options) (15%)

Trendsetters in high-tech shopping experiences

Mobile apps that facilitate the purchasing process through features such as the possibility to scan products using your phone, in-app payments, virtual shopping lists or the possibility to check product availability:

  • Mobile Self-Scanning (Kaufland Romania)
  • Carrefour App (Carrefour Romania)
  • Metro App (Metro Romania)

Technologies that make shopping more efficient by offering the possibility to scan products before the cash register:

  • K-Scan (Kaufland Romania)

Virtual store tours and technologies that offer detailed descriptions of products:

  • Virtual tour (Rehau Romania)
  • Interactive shelf (Syscom Digital)

Self checkouts:

  • Carrefour Romania
  • Cora
  • Auchan Romania
  • Mega Image
  • Kaufland Romania
  • Lidl Romania

1 in 3 Romanian customers are interested in a Premium experience, at affordable prices

Consumer Trends.Live study responders expect a Premium experience, at affordable prices in the Store of Tomorrow.

From their point of view, this experience is mainly defined by:

  • Product and service diversity (9%) – a one-stop-shop that is also suited for relaxing and socialising
  • Well-organised and minimalist designed stores (12%)
  • Professional advice and high quality products (7%)
  • Affordable prices, offers, discounts (7%)
  • Member benefits (gift cards, vouchers, customer contests, free shipping and simplified return processes) (1.3%)
  • Bonuses for recycling 

Trendsetters in Premium experience, at affordable prices

One-stop-shops that offer consumers both brick and mortar stores where they can relax and socialise, as well as the possibility to shop online:

  • eMAG is the the most relevant example of one-stop-shop retailer, where customers can find anything, from electronics, sportswear and apparel to food and essentials.

Digital technologies that facilitate updating product specifications and prices in stores:

  • Electronic labels (Altex)

Member benefits (gift cards, vouchers, customer contests, free shipping and simplified return processes):

  • Kaufland Card (Kaufland Romania)
  • MyCLUB Auchan (Auchan Romania)

Bonuses for recycling that encourage sustainable behaviours:

  • Recycling machines (Kaufland Romania)
  • Used oil recycling (Carrefour Romania)
  • Plastic recycling campaigns (Carrefour Romania)
  • Campaigns that encourage a sustainable behaviour when shopping for fashion and promote reducing the water consumption (H&M)
  • Free pick-up service for used appliances (eMAG)
store-of-tomorrow-virtual-wardrobe
Source: Freepik

16% of customers expect an Omnichannel experience in the Store of Tomorrow

Romanian customers expect an Omnichannel experience in the Store of Tomorrow. While interaction with in-store advisors remains important, 16% of customers want to have access to both brick and mortar and online shops.

Only 9% of Romanian customers prefer digital experiences, expecting the Store of Tomorrow to be exclusively online or digitalised (brick and mortar stores, but with no human interaction).

Trendsetters in Omnichannel experiences

eMAG is the most diverse and complex online store in Romania, which also offers 20 showrooms in major Romanian cities.

Carrefour Romania has opened the first 100% digital store, in which self-checkout technologies replace cashiers.

Shopping safely in the Store of Tomorrow

Health safety during shopping remains a priority for Romanian customers in the Store of Tomorrow. Customers want retailers to maintain social distancing to protect their health.

Beyond the practical aspect, the creative approach to safety measures is appreciated, such as:

  • Prevention messages based on behavioural science techniques
  • Managing the maximum number of customers in stores
  • The possibility to schedule your shopping session

Trendsetters in health shopping safety

A local retailer example that has implemented creative measures to maintain social distancing is Starbucks Romania. The brand implemented routes in its cafes so that customers could play hopscotch, admire urban art or practice dance steps while waiting for their orders.

Globally, retailers used funny messages to encourage their customers to comply with sanitary measures against COVID-19, while others made use of creative ways to  bring customer orders to the table, such as toy trains.

Consumer Trends.Live methodology

The Consumer Trends.Live study provides real-time access to market data directly from the consumer.

  • Sample: minimum monthly N = 400 respondents
  • Sample characteristics: national representative by gender, age and region. 95% confidence level, max. Error +/- 5%
  • Target: general population of Romania aged between 18 and 65 years
  • Research method: opinion poll
  • Instrument: questionnaire
  • Data viewing: Interactive dashboard, online
  • Approach: online, through the MKOR Panel

Discover Consumer Trends.Live

The Store of Tomorrow, as consumers expect it to be, is a recurring qualitative study that focuses on aspects of interest regarding retail development. The report will be made available free of charge to the public and retailers in the future, as well.

The Store of Tomorrow report is based on consumer data extracted from Consumer Trends.Live study.

The Consumer Trends.Live platform can be explored in a demo session with an MKOR consultant. The following are available during this session:

  • Consumer Trends.Live dashboard
  • The benefits of the platform
  • Recommendations for extracting the data necessary for your business strategy

Request a free demo >