Since the start of 2009, shoppers appeared to rely more on coupons, from both manufacturers and retailers, to help them shop for groceries. While coupon use had been increasing, other forms of traditional shopping aids, such as directional signage and in-store associates, were steadily decreasing.
However, when viewing the shopping-aid preferences of Spenders (those who report shopping more) alongside Savers (those shopping less), stark differences in recessionary coping strategies appeared. The Savers segment showed higher price sensitivity and corresponding shopping strategy using circulars and coupons, from both manufacturers and retailers, significantly more than their Spender counterparts, who were using more convenience-based shopping aids such as directional signage, in-store associates, self-checkout, and mobile phones.
For more highlights from The Checkout’s 2009 Year in Review, download the full report here.
