Connected Retail: What Consumers Expect in 2023

CI&T, a global tech and software development company, released its third annual “Connected Retail Report” in January. The report explores consumers’ evolving attitudes and expectations for omnichannel shopping and offers a “2023 Retailers to Watch” list as well as recommendations for delivering an ideal connected retail experience.

Based on a consumer survey, the report shows intra-pandemic consumers are hopping between online and offline shopping and expect consistent experiences across channels, which poses a new balancing act for retailers.

According to the report, consumers are shopping digital and physical channels at almost identical rates, evenly splitting their time between online (48%) and offline (52%) shopping. However, the vast majority (86%) of respondents have the same expectations for both retail worlds.

Consumers reinforced this point by indicating that they have highly similar desired capabilities for online and brick-and-mortar stores — with reliable in-stocks, easy returns and efficient shopping journeys being the most valued aspects of the user experience. Retailers should evolve their thinking of “connected retail” as across-the-board innovation so that consumers can channel-hop seamlessly, according to a media release from CI&T.

Key themes outlined in the report include ...

• Consumers appreciate delivery: Survey respondents overwhelmingly ranked delivery as the most important fulfillment option. Consumers are almost six times more likely to order an item online for delivery than for curbside or BOPIS.

• Be cautious with the metaverse: 81% of respondents have not yet shopped in the metaverse and 45% indicated that they could never see themselves shopping in it. The report’s metaverse data serves as a warning to retailers and brands rushing to debut a rollout.

• Consumers are particular about personalization: 59% of respondents said they are excited by the idea of a retailer using their preferences and shopping history to personalize the shopping experience. Digitally, the top three aspects consumers would like to see personalized on a retailer’s app or website are: showing the closest store based on location, offering discounts on products bought regularly, and sharing product suggestions based on previous purchases.

“Every response to our consumer survey indicated a desire for a customer experience that is convenient, efficient and aligned with current shopping habits,” Melissa Minkow, director of retail strategy at CI&T and author of the report, said in the release. “Now it’s up to retailers to build services that best accommodate those preferences, while building the right bridges between channels to incentivize simultaneous use.”