The 2022 edition of the RetailX UK Ecommerce Country Report provides bespoke research into one of the most affluent B2C markets in the world.
Whether you’re an established retailer in the UK looking to improve your strategy, or a small brand interested in reaching new customers – this report has all the insight needed to stay ahead of the competition and impress the increasingly demanding shopper.
Digital Editor, Scarlette Isaac, highlights some of the report’s main findings.
1. People who bought online for the first time, or bought more during the pandemic, are likely to continue buying online to a greater extent
At the time of writing, there does appear to have been a permanent shift towards buying online during the pandemic. That shift is likely to persist for a number of reasons. Firstly, those who drove the shift to online as they worked from home are, in the future, more likely to spend at least some of their week working from home.
Secondly, people who bought online for the first time, or bought more during the pandemic, are likely to continue buying online to a greater extent than they used to, driven by the third factor – the rapid expansion of delivery services that means it’s now easier and faster to take delivery of online orders.
Finally, Klarna’s 2021 Mobile Shopping Report[5] suggests that there’s been a real shift to using mobile devices to buy during the pandemic. It says 67% of UK shoppers now use their mobile to shop more often than before the pandemic.
2. Sustainability matters so much to UK shoppers that most will take action to follow through on their values
UK shoppers are now well aware of the effect that their buying habits have on the environment and are keen to follow their values when buying, RetailX research suggests.
When almost 1,000 UK adults were asked whether they agreed that the retailers they buy from should be ecological, 26% strongly agreed while 46% agreed – a total of 72% in favour of the statement. Only 1% disagreed.
3. As UK shoppers become more comfortable shopping online, leading retailers are experimenting with the size, location and role of their stores within a multichannel model
As UK shoppers become more comfortable shopping online, leading retailers are experimenting with the size, location and role of their stores within a multichannel model.
Amazon and Aldi are among the retailers that have moved towards doing away with the checkout altogether, with both now running checkout-free grocery stores in the capital. While each uses different technologies, shoppers use an app to enter each store, take the items they want and have them charged to their payment card as they leave.
In addition, IKEA, best-known for warehouse-size stores, launched its first small format UK shop in Hammersmith this year. The store is a cashless site, featuring only self-serve checkouts.
The information featured in this article was originally published in the UK 2022 report. Download your copy here for further insight into the current UK ecommerce landscape, including best selling products, consumer trends and largest 100 retailers.
