Document Type

Conference Proceeding

Publication Date

2022

Abstract

In the new digital age, knowing what new variables may be affecting unplanned shopping and spending in a grocery store environment has had little conclusive study academically, albeit is very important to academic theory, grocery store chain management and manufacturers. Many grocery shoppers are now utilizing mobile phones and other digital stimuli (via an app or website, pricing information, coupons, QR codes, or other information) in addition to traditional stimuli for product or promotional information during their in-store purchase phase. In past research, new in-store digital stimuli or mobile phone technology was shown to increase unplanned shopping and/or spending (Cake et al., 2018 a, b; Grewal et al., 2018; Hui et al., 2013; Sciandra & Inman, 2013). However, Bellini and Aiolfi (2018) found that mobile use in store actually decreased unplanned purchases and suggested that using a mobile phone be helping a customer to plan and monitor an in-store shopping experience, keeping track of purchases and a set shopping budget. This survey was emailed through a major grocery store chain’s store panel list; respondents who had shopped in the last 7 days were analyzed. The influence of traditional stimuli (flyers, coupons, displays), digital stimuli (web site use, retail apps, texts etc.), use of a shopping list, and a mobile phone’s effect on in-store unplanned shopping and spending were studied, along with new products, familiar brands, package appeal, and product information influence. Multiple regression was used to determine the effect of these independent variables on unplanned shopping and spending. Preliminary results show that several variables including new products, displays, traditional in-store promotion offers affect unplanned shopping positively, while use of a list have a predicted negative affect on unplanned purchases. Mobile phone use, both for shopping and non-shopping use, as well as digital/online promotional offers do not affect unplanned shopping significantly. However, mobile phone use in store and digital/online promotional offers do positively affect spending. This research leads to a better understanding of what causes unplanned purchases and additional spending and lends itself to new academic theory, as well as to retailers and manufacturers, who could use this information to develop marketing strategies which may increase their revenue, engagement of customers, and customer satisfaction. In the near future, consumer engagement and innovativeness, hedonistic and utilitarian traits, and price and health consciousness’ effect on unplanned purchases and spending will be completed.

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