Do you remember what it was like to go grocery shopping before the pandemic? For many of us, we can’t imagine how we ever survived the past two years without our smartphones and the internet enabling contactless shopping, deliveries, and other product exchanges with other homes and businesses.
Purchasing food was especially daunting, especially in the beginning when we didn’t know very much about the virus or how it was transmitted. Now, we are starting to find the ‘new normal’ and going back to a more traditional way of shopping.
We recently did a survey that found that most people feel that grocery shopping will never be the same. What does that mean for independent grocers? What are the best ways to convince shoppers to remain loyal to their grocers when the internet makes proximity less of a selling point?
RSA America, a technology company focused on leveling the playing field for independent grocers by empowering them to digitally compete with the mega-chains, recently surveyed American families about their grocery shopping habits, especially in light of the pandemic. A response from more than 70 percent of those surveyed indicated that they believe the pandemic changed how we’re going to grocery shop forever.
“Our survey provided many eye-opening results that suggest we need to make changes in the way we communicate with shoppers to stay competitive,” explained Rob Belcore, RSA America CCO and Co-Founder. “We’re going to the National Grocers Association trade show later this month to discuss how independent grocers can engage their customers and inspire loyalty. It’s critical not just to employ the right technology but to get your employees involved, too”
Companies already on board with RSA America’s vision of the future are seeing success. A chain of local Chicago grocery stores, recently increased their customer engagement by 15-20 percent through adopting RSA branding tactics. This led to an 11 percent increase in revenue that quarter.
“Our trip to NGA will be invaluable,” explained co-presenter Rob Easley. Rob is a decisive executive with years of grocery experience in operations, marketing, format development, and store merchandising. He’s partnering with RSA Americas at NGA to help independent grocers build high-performance strategies that engage customers and inspire loyalty.
“The presentation we’re going to give will help leaders understand how to make the most of their investment in digital marketing technology. And, we’ll be available during the show to drill down into any specific questions anyone has about how to pivot their efforts to appeal to a more smartphone savvy customer,” he says.
RSA America’s survey uncovered the fact that most shoppers use their phones for shopping and that the hesitancy once experienced about digital coupons and rewards is no longer a challenge. That suggests that investments in digital marketing technologies are going to be more effective than ever before.
“When you’re equipped with the right information, it becomes easier to reach consumers in a more targeted way,” Belcore continues. “That is why we need to get this information into the hands of grocers who can then use it to appeal to customers’ preferences.”
We are attending The NGA Show | Feb. 27- Mar. 1, 2022, | Las Vegas, Nevada this year. You will find us at booth number #1313. We hope you can stop by and reconnect.
