Return to all postsReturn to all resources
Over half of shoppers think the retail experience is less relaxing than before

Over half of shoppers think the retail experience is less relaxing than before

Written by

Abbie Dawson

Published

August 28, 2020

Category

Latest research

And three quarters of them will not go as frequently as pre-lockdown.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed some encouraging stats last week, as retail sales volumes rose by 3.6% between June and July and are now 3% higher than February before the lockdown.*

More specifically, sales in clothing shops grew by 11.9% last month while online shopping fell by 7%. Ruth Gregory, senior UK economist at Capital Economics, said it suggested that "the recovery in physical shops was more impressive than the headline figure and that shoppers are starting to return to the High Street".*

What do those returning shoppers think about the retail experience?

Well, over half (50.8%) of shoppers think that the retail experience is less relaxing now than pre-pandemic times (see graph 1), with 58.9% of them being women.

Chart showing people who find retail less relaxing than before lockdown
Graph 1

What can we learn about purchase intention?

Furthermore, a significant majority of three quarters (74%) of those who think it is less relaxing now intend to shop less frequently than pre-lockdown (see graph 2).

Interestingly, of those who think shopping is actually a more relaxing experience now post-lockdown, over half (54.6%) are aged in the 18-34 bracket.

Chart showing people who intend to shop less frequently than before lockdown

Thoughts from our CEO, Adam Castleton:

“There is a clear correlation between how relaxing the shopping experience is and how frequently shoppers intend to visit. With just over half of shoppers saying they don’t find the experience as relaxing as before lockdown, there's an opportunity to make them feel more comfortable. Doing so will earn their loyalty and repeat custom. I think the best examples are retailers that have visible but discrete COVID safety measures, and those that have also given attention to the wider atmosphere, including light and sound to help put shoppers at ease.”

This hub is the place to be for consumer research in retail and hospitality, so make sure to bookmark it, follow us on social, write it on a post-it note or whatever it is that you do. You could also sign up and subscribe to our mailing list, which is easy like Sunday morning.

Surveys carried out July and August 2020. Sample sizes (n) >1000 people, UK Nat. Rep. with 95% confidence level & margin of error of +/- 5%.

*BBC article: UK Retail sales climb back to pre-pandemic levels. 21st August 2020.

Heard enough?

Ready to create standout customer experiences? Get in touch to find out how we can use music and tech to help you achieve your goals.

Request a quote
Rotary phone

Heard enough?

Music is powerful, but using it with intention takes skill. Chat to our team today to find out how our behavioural-science backed, curated playlists could help you achieve your goals.

Tell me more
Woman dancing

Heard enough?

Seeing is believing. Engaging your customers through vibrant visual displays can be a game-changer in your retail or hospitality experience. Chat to our team today to find out how our dynamic digital signage solution could help you achieve your goals.

Tell me more
Woman's face

Heard enough?

Live sport has been at the heart of many pubs for decades. Chat to our team today to find out how Arena, our automated, all-inclusive sports promotion platform, could help you achieve your goals.

Tell me more
People watching sports in a pub

Heard enough?

Your environment is always changing. Chat to our team today to find out how using our invaluable insights to auto-adjust your atmosphere could help you achieve your goals and fine-tune your operations.

Tell me more
Happy woman eating in restaurant

Heard enough?

Replicate a perfectly curated atmosphere across an entire estate, all from a single platform. Chat to our team today to find out how using Studio could help you achieve your goals.

Tell me more
Technoology

Heard enough?

Creating something so deeply subjective as an atmosphere without a strong understanding of human behaviour is kind of silly. Chat to our team today to find out how behavioural science can be applied to help you achieve your goals.

Tell me more
People walking

Heard enough?

Dedicated management, free player replacements, 24/7/365 support… what you want, baby we got it. Chat to our team today to find out how relentless our Relentless Support™ really are.

Tell me more
Man with headphones

Heard enough?

Creating a standout retail experience isn’t easy. Chat to our team today to find out how we can use music and tech to create a till ringing atmosphere and help you achieve your goals.

Tell me more
Clothes on rack

Heard enough?

Creating a standout restaurant experience isn’t easy. Chat to our team today to find out how we can use music and tech to serve up the perfect atmospheres in your restaurants and help you achieve your goals.

Tell me more
Restaurants kitchen

Heard enough?

Creating a standout coffee shop experience isn’t easy. Chat to our team today to find out how we can use music and tech to brew the perfect atmospheres for your cafes and help you achieve your goals.

Tell me more
Cafe

Heard enough?

Creating a standout pub experience isn’t easy. Chat to our team today to find out how we can use music and pint-sized tech to create the perfect atmosphere and help get the drinks flowing.

Tell me more
People celebrating in pub

Heard enough?

Creating a standout hotel experience isn’t easy. Check out (or in) how we can use music and tech to create the perfect atmospheres and help you achieve your goals by chatting to our team today.

Tell me more
Restaurant table with cutlery

Heard enough?

Creating a standout gym experience isn’t easy. Chat to our team today to find out how we can use music and tech to get your atmospheres into perfect shape and help you achieve your goals.

Tell me more
Gym equipment

Heard enough?

Creating a standout salon experience isn’t easy. Chat to our team today to find out how we can use music and tech to create an atmosphere with the perfect finish and help you achieve your goals.

Tell me more
Salon equipment

Heard enough?

Creating a standout office experience isn’t easy. Chat to our team today to find out how we can use music and tech to create atmospheres that work as hard as your customers.

Tell me more
Co-working space

Heard enough?

Creating a standout spa experience isn’t easy. Chat to our team today to find out how we can use music and tech to create the perfect peaceful atmosphere and help you achieve your goals.

Tell me more
Towels and insense

Heard enough?

Creating a standout ship experience isn’t easy. Chat to our team today to find out how we can use music and tech to create the perfect atmospheres for your cruise ships and help you achieve your goals.

Tell me more
Beach with cruise ship in background
Over half of shoppers think the retail experience is less relaxing than before

Abbie Dawson

Marketing Manager at Startle. I'm in charge of our marketing activity, making sure to spread the word of Startle to as many brands as possible. When I'm not working, you'll find me vinyl shopping to add to my collection or working out at the gym (usually making enemies with a punching bag).

Say hello on LinkedIn

Hey, we've just met you and this is crazy. But here's our number +44 (0)203 397 7676. So, call us maybe?

  • Number of locations *