Retail Customer Journeys Have Absolutely Changed

Sometimes I wonder if I wrote a hundred more posts about changing buying behavior, with hundreds of additional data sources, if prospects will begin listening. They just don’t seem to be listening, though. When we hear we’re different and then do some research we always find the same thing. Consumer buying behavior is changing.

The change was slow at first, but now it’s accelerating. Fifteen years ago, out of 10 visitors – 1 or 2 of your prospects made a purchase the first time they heard about your brand. Now it’s only 1 or 2 out of 100. Fifteen years ago, almost over 8 out of 10 prospects purchased within two visits. Now it’s less than a third who have visited three times. Today, consumers use an average of almost five touch-points before they purchase.

Every customer journey is unique in today’s digital business economy. The rise of online and mobile commerce has fundamentally changed the way we shop, but it’s not as clear-cut for retailers as just identifying whether their customers shop online or in-store. Michael Allen, Vice President of Solutions Dynatrace

This infographic from Raconteur plots the new retail purchasing pathway, taking the prospect from discovery to evaluation and on through the purchase. Within those stages, consumers are bouncing between online and offline channels to research and price their purchases. The customer journey doesn’t end there, though – it continues with experience and loyalty.