5 Types of Shoppers and How to Win Their Hearts
From armchair analysts to impulse shoppers, new research from UpSellit identifies five consumer types and suggests ways to appeal to them.
30-second summary:
- The needs of each shopper cause users to interact with your site differently. Understanding these shoppers and their interactions can make all the difference for you and your business.
- By speaking to the needs of specific shoppers, you can create strategies and campaigns that resonate and convert.
- UpSellit have identified five different types of shoppers and ways to win them over.
- The shoppers are characterized by UpSellit as: The Bargain Hunter; The Armchair Analyst; The Early Adopter; The Impulse Shopper; and The Experiential Shopper.
Conversion optimization specialists, UpSellit, have released a new infographic identifying five different types of shoppers and ways to win them over.
It’s a useful document, as it seeks to simplify the practice of conversion optimization in a landscape of omnichannel consumers who are increasingly bombarded with marketing messages.
Let’s take a look at what UpSellit is saying:
Content produced in collaboration with UpSellit.
The Bargain Hunter
These are consumers who focus on value and love to get a good deal.
But it’s not all about cheap purchases. UpSellit points out that this group will often spend more in order to obtain a larger overall saving on their purchase.
“Offer a dynamic discount on orders that are 10-25% higher than their current cart value,” it suggests.
The infographic also recommends that there should be “a clear path to your discount section at every stage before checkout” to ensure these customers can easily find great deals.
These shoppers also love to be updated on price drops, so be sure to give them the chance to opt-in for alerts when prices fluctuate.
The Armchair Analyst
UpSellit identifies this group of shoppers as those who take their time to extensively research the products they buy.
Armchair Analysts are more than happy to take the time to sit in front of a product video.
These consumers are also keen to create wishlists long before committing to adding items to their carts – which is a great opportunity for email remarketing.
When it comes to site design, UpSellit suggests “comparison tables on product pages that clearly highlight the key differences” as a means to avoid analysis paralysis.
In short, if there’s information about the product, then these shoppers want to see it.
The Early Adopter
Early Adopters keenly follow influencers and trends.
Messaging needs to start even before products are announced with these shoppers.
They are eager to sign up for pre-releases, new product announcements, and accompanying marketing materials. Your product messaging and positioning needs to focus on why the latest, newest product is best for their needs.
UpSellit also identifies other purchase motivators for these consumers, such as messaging which reminds them of low stock items. ‘Early Adopters don’t want to wait for the next shipment,’ the help-sheet states.
The Impulse Shopper
Perhaps the most recognizable consumer type, Impulse Shoppers love to browse and make emotional purchases.
User experience (UX) is massively important here, with quick-to-read information throughout the funnel and hassle-free carts (including guest checkout options) ensure purchases are streamlined and easy to make.
These consumers also appreciate product recommendations for complementary products which they might add to their order immediately, or come pack to buy at a later date.
The Experiential Shopper
As we know, customer experience (CX) is paramount to competing in today’s omnichannel world.
According to UpSellit’s research, experiential shoppers are those who really value experiences that make them feel special as they shop.
Gamified shopping experiences – such as with loyalty awards and gifts with purchase – really appeal to this group. Personalization is welcomed too, and helps build the connection between brand and user.
On top of this, post-purchase remarketing which incorporates the above CX tactics can be a great way to persuade these shoppers to return time and again.
Takeaways
No shopper is identical, but UpSellit’s five types are a good way to get a handle on the different consumers today’s omnichannel merchants need to appeal to.
While some make snap decisions based on emotional cues and appreciate a speedy UX to conversion, others will invest their time as well as their money into purchase decisions and are receptive to detailed content much earlier in the funnel.
Adding to UpSellit’s analysis of the landscape here, I think it is important to note that the type of products being purchased can have an impact on the likelihood of certain shopper types to buy them.
For instance, those making automotive purchases may well be more likely to fit into the Armchair Analyst mold, while those browsing books on Amazon may be more keen to make an impulse buy.
The retail landscape continues to evolve and the diversity of consumer journeys from research to purchase seem to get ever more complex, and ever more unique to the individual.
But shopper types clearly do still exist. UpSellit does a good job of simplifying things here, and their suggestions of how to appeal to today’s consumers is very useful indeed.
You can download UpSellit’s infographic for free here.
