Only four out of ten consumers trust retailers

There is a rift between consumers and retailers after failing to keep up with the orders and fulfilling it as promised. To improve this level of trust, retail decision-makers are increasingly embracing solutions which contributes to front-line staff and improve inventory and the broader supply chain.

In a recent study by Zebra Technologies, it found out that even retail associates are wary of their employers’ capabilities, with only 51% completely trusting their employer’s ability to deliver or fulfill customers’ online/mobile orders as promised.

Although two-thirds of shoppers plan to return to brick-and-mortar locations in the coming months, 73% of shoppers want to get in and out of stores quickly. This comes after people are still worried about exposure to others, and not as many trust retailers to adhere to health and safety mandates or protocols in stores as they did in 2020, the study found.

There are has been a shift in trend as consumers opt for home delivery during the pandemic. Nearly 73% of buyers prefer to have items delivered to them rather than pick up orders at the store or other location.

Interestingly, 50% shoppers are also researching product pricing online before they leave home. Consumers now check store inventory before they leave home, while only 19% were doing so in 2019.

More than 70% confirm they have recently left stores without all the items they wanted, with nearly half citing out-of-stocks as the reason for not making an in-store purchase, Zebra Technologies reported.

Consequently, 58% of shoppers say it is faster to lookup information on their smartphones than ask associates for help.

Meanwhile, 84% of retail decision-makers know this “do-it-yourself” (DIY) trend is taking hold, and many are taking a closer look at how technology can be utilized to meet customers’ expectations and save sales.

“In view of new fulfillment options and incentivized m-commerce transactions, retailers are looking to enhance the overall shopping experience through the convenience that click-and-collect or home deliveries bring,” said Rajnish Gupta, vice president and India head, Zebra Technologies.

Retailers are changing their perspective about the importance of technology as they adjust their processes to cater to new retail experiences, he added.

Labor shortages has impacted the retail stores and most decision-makers say they plan to deploy workforce and task management software in the next year. Almost 70% of retailers view their employers more positively when they are provided with technology, Zebra Technologies reported.

Retailers also believe analytics will help them have better daily experiences and prefer to manage their tasks and schedules using mobile apps and devices.