The recessionary shopper instilled skills of shrewdness and frugality which became the new cool. The habits of precision shopping and switching are now well engrained. Moms are heavy switchers and this has become part of their ongoing household management.
- 5 8% have switched electricity in the last 2 years.
- 5 5% have switched motor insurance.
- 4 8% have switched broadband.
- 3 8% have switched mobile phone.
The time spent and number of shops visited has increased. Half of all moms visit two shops to do their grocery shopping and a third visit three shops to complete their supermarkets. The time spent researching and deciding where to shop has also increased. The smartphone is an integral part of the shopping journey, it mitigates risk and saves money.
- 7 0% of respondents use their smartphone to check store locations
- 6 7% check product availability
- 6 6% compare prices
- 6 1% read product reviews
- 5 0% take a photo of products
It’s not just about finding prices and availability, nearly a third of moms surveyed do all their online shopping on a smartphone.
We have become enabled by technology to be more independent and controlling when it comes to our households, purchasing behaviour and money management. Precision shopping saves money but takes a lot of time and effort in both the physical and virtual worlds of shopping.