DIY retailers must prioritise sustainability and discount schemes to gain consumer trust, new report finds
Posted by: electime 11th October 2023
As living costs get higher, consumers are increasingly looking at ways to improve their homes through DIY. Searches for ‘DIY shop near me’ have grown by 22 per cent in the past 12 months, giving retailers a huge opportunity to attract business.
A new report by SumUp, a leading global fintech company, has revealed consumer expectations and trends for both online and brick-and-mortar shopping within the DIY and hardware space.
Amidst the challenges in the UK’s retail environment, this report seeks to highlight emerging consumer patterns, allowing businesses to remain at the forefront of change.
What’s driving consumers into DIY and hardware stores?
With 61 per cent of DIY consumers saying they prefer in-store shopping when looking for products, the report by SumUp revealed the top factors motivating consumers to shop in-store rather than online, with human interaction and pre-purchase product experience being huge factors.
| Reason | per cent of shoppers agreeing |
| Being able to see/feel/try on the product before buying | 68 per cent |
| Being able to get the item I want immediately | 63 per cent |
| Being able to speak to somebody about my purchase before buying it e.g., an assistant in store | 43 per cent |
| Being able to compare the price with other shops to ensure I am getting the best deal | 34 per cent |
| The social aspect of shopping | 23 per cent |
Consumers more likely to trust brands with sustainability and social initiatives
Working towards a fairer society and caring for the environment are two key agendas for many consumers, and it would appear that retailers who don’t offer sustainability and social initiatives may be left behind.
The report revealed that sustainability and social initiatives significantly influence consumer trust in a brand, as 41 per cent of shoppers identified sustainable packaging as a key trust factor, followed closely by 36 per cent who trust brands that allow product recycling. Additionally, sustainable energy consumption and use were deemed essential by 29 per cent of the respondents.
Loyalty is key to shopper retention.
With more and more competition on the high street, customer retention is becoming an increasing consideration for retailers.
According to the report by SumUp, 62 per cent of customers are more likely to return to shops that offer a loyalty program, such as seasonal offers or offers for senior citizens/students.
The report also revealed the top factors that would deter a customer from shopping in-store. The top 5 factors are:
- Poor quality of goods (57 per cent of shoppers claim this annoys them).
- Poor store hygiene (54 per cent of shoppers claim this annoys them).
- Poor customer service (53 per cent of shoppers claim this annoys them).
- Pushy salespeople (52 per cent of shoppers claim this annoys them).
- Difficult return policy (42 per cent of shoppers claim this annoys them)
Full information at https://www.sumup.com/en-gb/business-guide/store-expectations-in-the-uk/
