Understanding Today's Shoppers: In-Person, Digital-First, and Hybrid Shopping Preferences
As technology continues to evolve, so does the shopping experience. Consumers now have more choices than ever when deciding how to shop, whether that’s visiting a store, ordering online, or combining both approaches. While shopping preferences vary, most consumers fall into one of three categories: in-person shoppers, digital-first shoppers, and hybrid shoppers. Understanding what motivates each group can help retailers create experiences that benefit every category.
In-Person Shoppers
Despite the growth of e-commerce and digital shopping tools, in-store shopping remains a critical part of the consumer experience. 54% of consumers always shop in-store at their primary retailer. For many shoppers, nothing replaces the ability to browse aisles, compare products, and make purchasing decisions firsthand.
A major driver of in-person shopping is the sense of control it provides. Shoppers enjoy:
- Selecting their own products, especially fresh items like meat and produce
- Social interaction with staff & other customers
- Personally evaluating product quality
- Immediate access to products without waiting for delivery
Many in-person shoppers use digital tools before and during their shopping experiences. Many of them use the retailer app or actively search the web. However, they still prefer the sureness of shopping in-store, seeing product displays, and personally scanning isles to look at products.
Digital-First Shoppers
At the other end of the spectrum are digital-first shoppers, who prioritize convenience, speed, and flexibility. While only about 4% of consumers exclusively shop online for groceries, this segment continues to grow, particularly among Gen Z and Millennial shoppers. Social media has become a major influence on this group, serving as a source of:
- Meal inspiration
- Product discovery
- Information about emerging food and wellness trends
Consumers doing extensive research online are increasingly comfortable with discovering a product & immediately purchasing it without seeing it in person. This has significantly increased from online product reviews on social media. For retailers, this creates opportunities to enhance websites, mobile apps, social media profiles, & offer personalized recommendations for each shopper. Features such as recommended products, past purchase history, & online payment makes the process more seamless and convenient. Although online shopping often comes with delivery fees, many consumers view the convenience and time savings as worthwhile tradeoffs.
Hybrid Shoppers
Many consumers don’t fit perfectly into either category. Instead., they seek to combine in-person & online shopping to tailor to their specific schedule & needs. In fact, 20% of shoppers report shopping mostly in-store while still using digital tools, 15% shop online and in-store about equally, and 7% shop mostly online. Combined, these groups represent 42% of shoppers who use a hybrid approach. The keys for hybrid shopping are:
- Convenience
- Speed
- Consistency
Services such as buy online, pick up in-store (BOPIS) and curbside pickup have become increasingly popular because they combine the convenience of online ordering with the immediacy of in-person shopping. Retailer apps also play an important role in the hybrid experience. Features such as order history, purchase again, and immediate new product recommendations make shopping & ordering online time efficient & convenient. Hybrid shoppers can avoid delivery fees while still integrating convenience from online purchasing. As a result, many consumers view hybrid shopping as the best of both worlds.
Key Takeaways
While in-store shopping remains the most popular method, the rise in technology has continued to increase the demand for digital or hybrid shopping experiences. Retailers who adjust to both preferences will be the most successful.
Sources
- https://www.fmi.org/our-research/research-reports/u-s-grocery-shopper-trends
- https://www.producegrower.com/article/fmi-food-industry-association-power-produce-2025-report-research-millennials-gen-z-grocery-shopping-market/
- https://www.grocerydive.com/spons/hybrid-shopping-is-here-how-grocers-can-use-technology-to-meet-new-consume/733636/
