Pick 'n' Mix: Meeting the Demands of the New Multi-Channel Shopper

Overview

Remember Pick ‘n’ Mix? For many of us, the phrase evokes fond memories of childhood shopping expeditions, but even if the sweet counters have changed out of all recognition, the idea of ‘having it your way’ has never been more current than it is now.

What's driving this is, of course, the internet, which is making it possible for people to shop for exactly what they want, when they want, and how they want.

PwC has been doing surveys of online shopping since 2007, examining new and emerging retail developments in the digital space. Since then, the value of online retail has increased rapidly to reach almost 8pc of the total retail market, with growth expectations of around 10pc per year. We interviewed more than 1,000 consumers in the last quarter of 2010, and it's clear we are now seeing a significant new pattern in consumer behaviour. While it's certainly true there continues to be an increase in the amount of goods being bought online, the overall trend is now becoming more mature and more nuanced, and new themes are emerging that will have profound consequences for retailers and consumer goods companies alike.