How much time do you spend in your business analysing category data versus understanding the shopper and consumer?
Understanding the shopper and consumer, and their needs is at the heart of driving growth for your business.
Category data gives a useful overview of trends within a category. However, shopper and consumer research enable us to go beyond this, to help us understand why these things are happening and what and who may be driving growth in the future. This gives us a 360-degree view of the category.
More than shopper data
Shopper panel data is useful in so much as that it tells us who is buying products and categories, but remember that the shopper is not necessarily the same as the consumer.
For example, 42% of 15 to 34 year olds still live with their parent(s). Assuming the parent(s) is still doing the majority of the grocery shopping, what proportion of young adult consumption is hidden by the shopper parent? The way you would communicate to each audience and their needs are likely to be very different.
Shopper data tends to be restricted to classifying shoppers by lifestage and affluence. Whilst there can be differences between these groups, it does not paint the full picture. A classic example is the comparison between King Charles and Ozzy Osborne. On paper they are men of the same age, are wealthy, have grown-up children etc. But in persona terms are very different.
Research lets us uncover relevant needs or attitudes, allowing us to segment consumers in ways that run across lifestages, and which may have a greater impact on behaviour.
How else can consumer and shopper insight add value?
Reducing risk
Bringing a new product to market or launching a new communications campaign is time consuming and very expensive. Even a simple refresh to packaging is not without its risks, e.g. potentially reducing recognisability amongst existing shoppers or changing perceptions. Research helps reduce this risk by helping to refine ideas, concepts and messages before expensive development, and to test final concepts before launch. Developing research briefs and plans is a specialist task. Whilst framing questions in such a way as to get glowing results may support sell-in, if they do not truly reflect consumer sentiment there is a high risk of failure down the line.
Finding opportunities
Consumer research can help us discover new consumer pain-points or emerging occasions. Dyson and Joseph Joseph have built businesses around identifying these pain points and providing consumers with solutions that enable them to do tasks more easily or better. Ethnographic or observational research is particularly valuable for this purpose as it can enable us to identify hidden issues.
Understanding value
Research can help brands understand how consumers see value beyond just price. Shoppers are ultimately looking for good value, but what this means will vary by category. Research also helps brands differentiate themselves in ways that are meaningful to shoppers and consumers.
How Levercliff can help
At Levercliff we specialise in understanding consumers and shoppers in food and drink categories. We can find the best approach to answer your business questions, and deliver actionable insights grounded in the reality of your category and business. Combined with our category management knowledge, we can deliver a wide range of shopper and consumer research and insight to help your business grow. Drop us a message if you’d like to know more - click here.
Written by Clair Prior, Consumer Insight Manager
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