A Study in Shopper Perceptions and
Retail Preferences from The Coca-Cola Co.
Introduction: The iSHOP Study
Methodology
Strategic Priorities
Summary Findings
Results by Channel
> Supermarkets
> Convenience
> Drugstores
> Mass Merchants
> Warehouse Clubs
> Value
Top 20 Most Trusted Retailers
What’s most important to shoppers, and how does it influence where they choose to shop? Does it change across retail channels, and, ultimately, how do these critical perceptions drive trial, frequency and advocacy?
Called iSHOP (“Individual Shopping Habits, Occasions and Perceptions”) the uniquely comprehensive study surveys consumers on a daily basis throughout the year to account for seasonal differences and other potential variables in their needs and habits.
FORMULA
INDEX
01
INTRODUCTION
02
METHODOLOGY
03
STRATEGIC PRIORITIES
05
RESULTS BY CHANNEL
Trial: Drivers that put a retailer into the shopper’s consideration set for “light shopping” (no more than one trip per quarter).
Frequency: Drivers that make the retailer a regular destination for the shopper (at least once per month).
Advocacy: Drivers that lead a shopper to recommend the retailer to other consumers. Among the leading drivers in this area is their belief that the retailer is “a store I trust.”
Presented by
Since 2013, Coca-Cola has conducted an annual shopper study centered on these questions to inform their collaborative marketing and business planning with their retail partners.
The goal is “to be a better business partner and help them understand how to drive action against these metrics,” explains Sally Buckley, director of shopper insights & analytics at Coca-Cola.
It goes beyond Coca-Cola’s own beverage categories to gain insights about the entire shopping experience, and polls beyond the primary household shopper to cover all consumers. The results encompass roughly 40,000 interviews each year.
The study shows that while most key drivers are unique in each channel, some drivers remain consistent across the different classes of trade.
Retail ratings
The study identifies some clear-cut winners in each channel:
When it comes to shopper advocacy, regional operators seem to do especially well due to their ability to foster trust among their shoppers. Texas-centric HEB earned the highest scores for “Is a store I trust,” followed by Southeastern operator Publix.
Supermarkets
For example, advocacy is significantly influenced by shoppers believing the store “has a friendly, comfortable atmosphere” and “is a store I trust,” and frequency is heavily determined by the store’s success in providing “items I buy frequently in a convenient location.”
Perhaps most noteworthy was the relatively low importance of “low everyday price” on these behaviors: Among factors driving frequency, for instance, price perception was only the 12th most important element.
Key Drivers: Supermarkets
TRIAL
FREQUENCY
ADVOCACY
Clean shopping area
Store I trust
Good selection
Well organized
Familiar layout
Items I buy in easy locations
Good sales
One-stop shopping
Conveniently located
Familiar layout
Store I trust
Fun place to shop
Good atmosphere
Helpful employees
Good overall value
CONSIDERATION SET
SHORT-TERM TRAFFIC
LONG-TERM TRAFFIC
Focusing on trial imagery drivers will put a retailer into the shopper’s
Focusing on imageries that drive Frequency and Advocacy will increase traffic to the retailer.
The difference is quality of the traffic
1
2
3
4
5
1
2
3
4
5
1
2
3
4
5
Key Drivers: MASS MERCHANTS
TRIAL
FREQUENCY
ADVOCACY
One-stop shopping
1
Good selection
2
Convenient hours
3
Good customer service
4
Familiar layout
5
Items I buy in easy locations
1
Product demos/samples
2
Conveniently located
3
Pharmacy I trust
4
Easy to get in and
out fast
5
Store I trust
1
Fun place to shop
2
Good atmosphere
3
Helpful employees
4
Well organized
5
Key Drivers: CONVENIENCE
TRIAL
FREQUENCY
ADVOCACY
Good place to grab a quick meal/snack
1
Easy to get in and out of quickly
2
Familiar layout
3
Convenient hours
4
Good checkout experience
5
Items I buy in easy locations
1
One-stop shopping
2
Store I trust
3
Helpful employees
4
Good overall value
5
Store I trust
1
Good atmosphere
2
Clean shopping area
3
Good overall value
4
Helpful employees
5
Key Drivers: DRUGSTORES
TRIAL
FREQUENCY
ADVOCACY
Good loyalty program
1
Familiar layout
2
Easy to get in & out quickly
3
Pharmacy I trust
4
Store I trust
5
Items I buy in easy locations
1
Good sales
2
One-stop shopping
3
Good coupon policy
4
Fun place to shop
5
Store I trust
1
Good atmosphere
2
Good overall value
3
Helpful employees
4
Fun place to shop
5
Key Drivers: WAREHOUSE
TRIAL
FREQUENCY
ADVOCACY
Product demos/samples
1
Store I trust
2
Good overall value
3
Clean shopping area
4
Good customer service
5
Items I buy in easy locations
1
Pharmacy I trust
2
Easy to get in & out
3
Good customer service
4
Good loyalty program
5
Store I trust
1
Fun place to shop
2
Helpful employees
3
Good atmosphere
4
High quality product
5
Key Drivers: VALUE
TRIAL
FREQUENCY
ADVOCACY
Good overall value
1
Low everday prices
2
Conveniently located
3
Familiar layout
4
Items I buy in easy locations
5
Items I buy in easy locations
1
One-stop shopping
2
Good sales
3
Good selection
4
Familiar layout
5
Fun place to shop
1
Store I trust
2
Good atmosphere
3
Good selection
4
Well organized
5
METHODOLOGY
Products. Price. Customer service. Store experience.
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SEE RETAIL RATINGS: WAREHOUSE
Methodology
A comprehensive study of shopper behavior and attitudes
Coca-Cola’s iSHOP: Individual Shopping Habits, Occasions and Perceptions
DATA COLLECTION
BROAD COVERAGE
DEPTH OF INSIGHTS
40,000 shoppers from 16-75 years old
A 360-degree view of the industry including information on:
Shopper demographics and shopping attitudes
Data collected daily with new shoppers
71,000 trips studies annually
• Six channels
• 300+ total retailers
• 65 priority retailers
Retailer awareness, frequency, imagery and preference
Path to purchase, including pre-shop, shop and post-shop
X
TRIAL
FREQUENCY
ADVOCACY
STRATEGIC PRIORITIES
X
Understanding what drives shopper beliefs and behaviors allows Coca-Cola to drive action against its retailer partner strategies.
STRATEGIC PRIORITIES
BEHAVIOR
BELIEF
Light Shopping
Heavy Shopping
Willingness to Recommend
Shops Quarterly or less
Shops Monthly+
Focusing on trial imagery drivers will put a retailer into the shopper’s
Focusing on imageries that drive Frequency and Advocacy will increase traffic to the retailer. The difference is quality of the traffic.
VIEW ALL 30 BEHAVIORAL DRIVERS
06
TOP 20 MOST TRUSTED RETAILERS
Overall, six of the 10 chains with the highest trust ratings are regional, with three others — Harris Teeter, King Soopers and Fry’s — likely benefitting from parent company Kroger’s largely localized operating model. Alternate grocer Trader Joe’s was the only “national” player in the top 10.
HEB
PUBLIX
WEGMANS
TRADER JOE'S
KING SOOPER'S (KROGER)
HY-VEE
MEIJER
HARRIS TEETER (KROGER)
FRY'S
SHOPRITE
KROGER
HANNAFORD (AHOLD DELHIAZE)
SMITH'S (KROGER)
FRED MEYER (KROGER)
WHOLE FOODS
GIANT EAGLE
INGLES MARKET
ALDI
TARGET
LIDL
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
NEXT
FREQUENCY
BEHAVIOR
BELIEF
ADVOCACY
Focusing on trial imagery drivers will put a retailer into the shopper’s
Focusing on imageries that drive Frequency and Advocacy will increase traffic to the retailer. The difference is quality of the traffic.
Light Shopping
Heavy Shopping
Willingness to Recommend
Shops Quarterly or less
Shops Monthly+
KEY SHOPPER PERCEPTIONS
X
The 2019 study sought to understand shopper attitudes about specific retailers across 30 different behavioral drivers, ranging from abstract assertions (“Is a store I trust”) to more tangible concepts (“Has a clean shopping area”).
VALUE/PRICE
Low everday prices
Key Shopper Perceptions
X
CUSTOMER SERVICE
IN-STORE EXPERIENCE
SERVICES PROVIDED
PRODUCT OFFERING
Good sales
Good loyalty program
Good coupon policy
Good overall value
Helpful, courteous, knowledgable employees
Rarely runs out of stock
Is a store I trust
Good customer service policy
Friendly, courteous atmosphere
Product demonstrations/
samples
Family-friendly
Clean shopping area
Fun place to shop
Has good, safe parking facilities
Has convenient hours of operation
Has a pharmacy I trust
Offers one-stop shopping for the items I need
Has clean restrooms
Has a good selection
Offers unique and appealing products
Carries high-quality products
Is a good place to grab a quick meal, beverage, or snack
Has the items I frequently buy in a convenient location in the store
Easy to get in and out of quickly
Familiar layout
Easy, quick checkout experience
Well organized
Is well-organized and easy to shop
Is conveniently located
COKE
THE
SEE RETAIL RATINGS: DRUGSTORES
SEE RETAIL RATINGS: CONVENIENCE
SEE RETAIL RATINGS: MASS MERCHANTS
SEE RETAIL RATINGS: VALUE
SEE RETAIL RATINGS: SUPERMARKETS
TOP RANKED RETAILERs: VALUE
TRIAL DRIVERS
FREQUENCY DRIVERS
ADVOCACY DRIVERS
Dollar Tree
1
99 Cents Only
2
Dollar General
3
Family Dollar
4
Dollar General
1
Family Dollar
2
Dollar Tree
3
99 Cents Only
4
Fun place to shop
1
Store I trust
2
Good atmosphere
3
Good selection
4
SEE BEHAVIORAL DRIVERS: VALUE
Perceptions among light shoppers
Perceptions among frequent shoppers
Perceptions among loyal shoppers
TOP RANKED RETAILERs: WAREHOUSE
TRIAL DRIVERS
Perceptions among light shoppers
Perceptions among frequent shoppers
Perceptions among loyal shoppers
FREQUENCY DRIVERS
ADVOCACY DRIVERS
Costco
1
BJ's Wholesale
2
Sam's Club
3
Costco
1
Sam's Club
2
BJ's Wholesale
3
Costco
1
Sam's Club
2
BJ's Wholesale
3
SEE BEHAVIORAL DRIVERS: WAREHOUSE/CLUBS
TOP RANKED RETAILERs: DRUGSTORES
TRIAL DRIVERS
Perceptions among light shoppers
Perceptions among frequent shoppers
Perceptions among loyal shoppers
FREQUENCY DRIVERS
ADVOCACY DRIVERS
CVS
1
Walgreens
2
Rite Aid
3
CVS
1
Walgreens
2
Rite Aid
3
CVS (tied)
1
Walgreens (tied)
2
Rite Aid
3
SEE BEHAVIORAL DRIVERS: DRUGSTORES
TOP RANKED RETAILERs: ConveniencE
TRIAL DRIVERS
Perceptions among light shoppers
Perceptions among frequent shoppers
Perceptions among loyal shoppers
FREQUENCY DRIVERS
ADVOCACY DRIVERS
Sheetz
1
QuikTrip
2
Casey's General Store
3
Wawa
4
Wawa
1
Sheetz
2
QuickTrip
3
Casey's General Store
4
Wawa
1
Sheetz
2
QuikTrip
3
Casey's General Store
4
SEE BEHAVIORAL DRIVERS: CONVENIENCE
TOP RANKED RETAILERs: MASS MERCHANTS
TRIAL DRIVERS
Perceptions among light shoppers
Perceptions among frequent shoppers
Perceptions among loyal shoppers
FREQUENCY DRIVERS
ADVOCACY DRIVERS
Meijer
1
Walmart Supercenter
2
SuperTarget
3
Fred Meyer (Kroger)
4
Meijer
1
Fred Meyer (Kroger)
2
Walmart Supercenter
3
Target
4
Meijer
1
Fred Meyer (Kroger)
2
Target
3
SuperTarget
4
SEE BEHAVIORAL DRIVERS: MASS
TOP RANKED RETAILERs: SUPERMARKETS
TRIAL DRIVERS
Perceptions among light shoppers
Perceptions among frequent shoppers
Perceptions among loyal shoppers
FREQUENCY DRIVERS
Publix
1
Wegmans
2
King Soopers (Kroger)
3
Hy-Vee
4
King Soopers (tied)
1
HEB (tied)
1
ShopRite
3
Fry's (Kroger)
4
HEB
1
Trader Joe's
2
Wegmans
3
Publix
4
SEE BEHVIORAL DRIVERS: SUPERMARKETS
HEB
5
Publix
5
King Soopers (Kroger)
5
Target
5
SuperTarget
5
Walmart Supercenter
5
7-Eleven
5
Speedway
5
Speedway
5
*
*
*
04
SUMMARY FINDINGS
The study shows that while most key drivers are unique in each channel, some drivers remain consistent across the different classes of trade.
For example, advocacy is significantly influenced by shoppers believing the store “has a friendly, comfortable atmosphere” and “is a store I trust,” and frequency is heavily determined by the store’s success in providing “items I buy frequently in a convenient location.”
Perhaps most noteworthy was the relatively low importance of “low everyday price” on these behaviors: Among factors driving frequency, for instance, price perception was only the 12th most important element.
Retail ratings summary
The study identifies some clear-cut winners in each channel:
Supermarkets
Shopper loyalty for regional retailers HEB, Publix, Wegmans and Kroger’s King Soopers placed those chains among the top five across trial, frequency and advocacy.
When it comes to shopper advocacy, regional operators seem to do especially well due to their ability to foster trust among their shoppers. Texas-centric HEB earned the highest scores for “Is a store I trust,” followed by Southeastern operator Publix.
Drugstores
CVS bested national rival Walgreens in each area.
Overall, six of the 10 chains with the highest trust ratings are regional, with three others — Harris Teeter, King Soopers and Fry’s — likely benefitting from parent company Kroger’s largely localized operating model. Alternate grocer Trader Joe’s was the only “national” player in the top 10.
Mass Merchants
Midwestern chain Meijer topped national retailers Walmart, Target and Kmart to earn the highest scores for all three behaviors.
Convenience
Sheetz, Wawa, QuickTrip and Casey’s General Stores alternated among the top four slots in all three.
Warehouse Clubs
Costco outranked rivals Sam’s Club and BJ’s Wholesale across the board.
Value
Dollar Tree and Dollar General shared the top two spots.
NEXT
Convenience
Drugstores
Mass Merchants
Warehouse Clubs
Value
NEXT
NEXT
NEXT
NEXT
NEXT
For more information about this study, or to learn how the Path to Purchase Institute can provide resource and intelligence to help you succeed at retail, call 773-992-4450 today or email KLopez@p2pi.org.
visit us at www.p2pi.org
ADVOCACY DRIVERS
Behavior Drivers
Retailer Ratings
Behavior Drivers
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Behavior Drivers
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Behavior Drivers
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Behavior Drivers
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Behavior Drivers
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Behavior Drivers
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Retail Ratings
The 2019 study sought to understand shopper attitudes about specific retailers across 30 different behavioral drivers, ranging from abstract assertions (“Is a store I trust”) to more tangible concepts (“Has a clean shopping area”). Coca-Cola identified the level of influence each of these drivers has on three critical shopper behaviors:
Focusing on trial imagery drivers will put a retailer into the shopper’s
Focusing on imageries that drive Frequency and Advocacy will increase traffic to the retailer. The difference is quality of the traffic.
Includes results for:
Supermarkets
Convenience
Drugstores
Mass Merchant
Warehouse Clubs
Value
+ Top 20 Most Trusted