omnichannel marketing

Thinking about ratings and reviews.

Ratings and Reviews Unlock a Goldmine of Consumer Insights

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Ever think about how RATINGS AND REVIEWS can provide CPG marketers VALUABLE INSIGHTS INTO CONSUMERS ACTUALLY BUYING YOUR BRAND?  

I have!

And guess what? Ratings and reviews are a goldmine for consumer-packaged goods (CPG) brands looking to gain insights into shoppers. These insights are crucial for understanding customer preferences, improving products, and enhancing overall brand strategy.

Thinking about ratings and reviews.
Thinking about what shopper insights CPGs can glean from ratings and reviews.

5 Ways Ratings and Reviews Provide Consumer Insights

1. Understanding Consumer Preferences

Direct Feedback: Reviews provide direct feedback from consumers about what they like and dislike about a product. This helps brands understand consumer preferences and tailor their products accordingly.

Detailed Descriptions: Consumers often describe their experiences in detail, highlighting specific features they appreciate or find lacking. This granular feedback is invaluable for product development.

2. Identifying Common Issues

Spotting Trends: By analyzing reviews, brands can identify common issues or complaints. For example, if multiple reviews mention that a product’s packaging is difficult to open, this signals a need for improvement.

Prioritizing Fixes: Understanding the most frequently mentioned problems helps brands prioritize which issues to address first, ensuring that they tackle the most impactful areas.

3. Gauging Product Performance

Performance Metrics: Reviews often include ratings on various aspects of a product, such as quality, value for money, and ease of use. These metrics provide a quantitative measure of product performance.

Benchmarking: Brands can compare their product ratings and reviews against competitors to see how they stack up in the market.

4. Enhancing Product Development

Innovation Ideas: Consumer feedback can inspire new product features or entirely new products. For instance, if reviews frequently mention a desire for a specific flavor or variant, this can guide future product development.

Iterative Improvements: Continuous feedback allows brands to make iterative improvements to their products, ensuring they stay aligned with consumer needs and preferences.

5. Improving Marketing Strategies

Targeted Messaging: Insights from reviews can help refine marketing messages. Understanding what consumers value most about a product allows brands to highlight these features in their marketing campaigns.

Customer Segmentation: Reviews can reveal different customer segments and their unique preferences, enabling more targeted and effective marketing strategies.

Here is an example:

Imagine a CPG brand that sells a popular ice cream product. By analyzing reviews, they discover that while many customers love the taste, there are frequent mentions of complaints about the lack of eco-friendly packaging and a desire for a low-sugar variant. Armed with these insights, the brand can improve the packaging and introduce a new low-sugar option, addressing consumer needs and potentially increasing sales.

In my opinion, ratings and reviews provide CPG brands with a wealth of consumer insights that can drive product improvements, enhance marketing strategies, and ultimately lead to greater customer satisfaction and loyalty. 🚀

#CPG #ConsumerInsights #CustomerFeedback #ProductDevelopment #MarketingStrategy #CustomerSatisfaction #BrandImprovement

To see more posts from Aaron Richman click here or visit him on LinkedIn here.

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Caddle Social media insights in Canada

5 Interesting Social Media Insights Exclusively from Caddle

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Exclusive Insights on Social Media Usage in Canada!

I’m thrilled to share some exclusive research from my friends Caddle, brought to you by ME!  

Caddle Social media insights in Canada
Caddle Social Media Insights in Canada

In today’s digital age, social media plays a crucial role in the shopper journey. These platforms are a primary source for discovering new products, shaping purchase decisions through influencer and user-generated content, providing social proof when friends and family endorse a product, and offering compelling visual content that encourages purchase decisions.

For brands, social media provides a platform to expand brand consideration, foster direct relationships with consumers and collect valuable data on consumer preferences, behaviours and feedback to inform marketing strategies.

This is where Caddle comes in. Recently, Caddle, which boasts the largest active daily and monthly panels in Canada with 10,000+ daily active users and 100,000+ active monthly users, surveyed 9,649 Canadians. The survey, weighted by age, gender and Province, explored their usage of four key social media platforms: Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), Pinterest and Snapchat.

Here are some key insights from the research:

  • Among the four social media platforms, Instagram leads in popularity with 55% of Canadians using it, followed by Snapchat (53%), Pinterest (40%) and X/Twitter (27%).
  • Canadians are highly engaged with Instagram with 70.2% of users accessing the platform at least once daily, and 38.3% spending 1-5 hours per week on it.
  • Only Snapchat has a higher engagement rate with 73.4% of users on the platform daily. However, only 27.3% of users spend 1-5 hours per week on it.
  • Engagement rates and weekly usage rates for Pinterest (25.4%/23.4%) and X/Twitter (51.3%/26.4%) are lower than the competition.
  • In terms of customer satisfaction rates, Snapchat leads with 54.5% of users stating they are “very satisfied” with the platform followed by Instagram (35.4%), Pinterest (35.4%) and X/Twitter (30.5%).

A final thought: It’s essential for brands to understand that platforms like Instagram and Snapchat, with their high engagement rates, are pivotal in influencing purchase decisions. Brands should leverage the power of influencer partnerships and user-generated content to drive authentic engagement and build trust with the consumer.

_____________________________________________________________________________For more information on the Caddle go to www.getcaddle.com or reach out to Colleen Martin on LinkedIn.

For information on my consulting services visit www.jamzmarketing.com

For more insights from the shopper marketing world check out my blogs at www.jamzmarketing.com/blog.

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I am Aaron Richman – Your Dedicated and Expert Shopper Marketing Consultant

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Aaron Richman Shopper Marketing Consultant

Hi, I’m Aaron.

Husband (33 years) to Michele Richman.

Father of two successful young men (@Zachary Richman and @Jordan Richman).

Entrepreneur and Shopper Marketing Consultant at JAMZ Marketing, founded in 2003.

I’m passionate about combining my love of sports, mentoring young people, and community service. I have been a volunteer coach, Director of House League and Board Member for several local sports organizations. Fun Fact: I even won a bronze medal in basketball for Canada as an Assistant Coach at a major international competition!

Clients and friends often tell me my personality is as colourful as the shirts that I wear.

Sharing insights and my point of view on key industry news and trends impacting the shopper marketing/omnichannel/connected commerce world is both a creative outlet and a passion. But trust me, my two-time Cannes Lions awarding winning son @Zachary Richman is the copywriter in the family.

As a Marketing Consultant my primary goal is to HELP BRANDS DRIVE SALES CONVERSION focusing on retail, CPG and technology companies within in the omnichannel space. I work with some of top agencies and CPGs) in Canada.

My expertise includes:

  • Shopper and retail strategy
  • Shopper digital media planning (RMN and RAMP)
  • Data analysis
  • Senior-level client service

I aim to provide thought leadership through my content and, when the opportunity arises, when we work together.

Currently, for the first time in several years, I HAVE CAPACITY TO TAKE ON NEW CLIENTS.

If you’d like my perspective on a trend or want to see if we’re a good fit, feel free to reach out on LinkedIn or email me at aaron@jamzmarketing.com.

Looking forward to connecting with you!

#MarketingConsultant, #ShopperMarketing, #Omnichannel, #ConnectedCommerce, #ContentCreation, #MarketingStrategy, #ClientSuccess, #CommunityEngagement #Mentorship, #Leadership #thoughtleadership #Networking #MarketingInsights #availabletowork #retailstrategy #CPG

To read more about Aaron Richman click here. To read my blogs click here.

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5 star ratings & reviews drive sales conversions

Ratings & Reviews are #1 in Driving Consumer Purchase Decisions

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♫ Might as well admit it I’m addicted to…RATINGS & REVIEWS! ♬ Aren’t you?  If so, you are among the vast majority of consumers (99.75%) who consult Ratings and Reviews when shopping online or pre-planning shopping trips before purchasing a product. (I need to meet the 0.25% who don’t use reviews! 😊)

How important are Ratings and Reviews?

Consumers rank Ratings & Reviews as the #1 key consideration when making purchase decisions (90%) ahead of family/friend recommendations (74%), search engine ranking (56%), Facebook and Instagram (28% & 26%) and brand influencer endorsements (17%).

BUT RATINGS AND REVIEWS ARE NOT JUST FOR ONLINE PURCHASES AND PRE-SHOP PLANNING!

More and more shoppers are using their mobile devices IN-STORE to research products by comparing and looking at product reviews.

A recent survey shows 84% of consumers use smartphones to look at Ratings and Reviews when considering IN-STORE purchases.

Just the other day I found myself in @Shoppers Drug Mart checking out reviews on @Google and @Amazon looking for consumer insights on an after-shave brand I had not purchased before. Focus group of one, but I purchased the product so … REVIEWS DO DRIVE SALES CONVERSION!

So, how can retailers and brands bring the power of Ratings & Reviews IN-STORE?

Recently, when exploring in-store photos on Shelfgram I came across a shelf media execution by Native deodorant that included a call-to-action of “50,000+ 5-star reviews”.

Photo courtesy of Field Agent and Shelfgram.

Also, Walmart Canada is testing digital shelf signage (see video below) that includes product and price information while integrating Ratings and Reviews. This is a splendid example of omnichannel marketing, as Walmart is making Ratings & Reviews accessible to shoppers online at Walmart.ca and in-store.

So how do you make Ratings & Reviews more easily available in-store while we wait for retailers to integrate digital signage?

Simple.

Integrate a QR code into your shelf media, POS, displays and packaging with a call-to-action to check out Ratings & Reviews. For brands already using QR codes to drive shoppers to receipt validation contest pages, recipe sites and brand pages this tactic is a no-brainer. While you’re at it, add a QR code linking to Ratings & Reviews in your flyer ads too!

Plus, if you want to gain insights into shopper engagement with QR codes check out Tapscan, which offers a platform featuring real-time reporting on shopper engagements by retailer, time day/week, language, location and more.

Finally, there are a lot of companies that offer Ratings & Reviews services in Canada to help brands drive consideration and sales conversion. Caddle, Field Agent, Samplesource and Shopper Army just to name a few.

Therefore, if you want to engage a leading Shopper Marketing Consultant to help navigate the Ratings & Reviews world, check out my contact information on my website or LinkedIn profile and let’s start a conversation.

Sources: Power Reviews, Uniqode

Native deodorant photo courtesy of Shelfgram and Field Agent Canada.

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Coors beer near-pack, gift with purchase program

The Lost Art of Near-Pack Gift Programs

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I was in my local LCBO liquor store over the weekend and noticed a display featuring a Coors beer near-pack gift with purchase (GWP) program. Coors was offering shoppers a free cowboy hat with the purchase of two 6 packs of beer as part of sponsorship program with the popular Boots and Hearts — Canada’s largest multi-day country music and camping festival.

Coors beer near-pack, gift with purchase program featured display at LCBO stores

As I looked at the display, I realized outside of the liquor store channel, near-pack GWP programs that offer shoppers immediate incentives to drive sales conversion, have become a thing of the past for CPG brands. Especially, in the grocery channel where delayed incentive GWP offers using a digital receipt upload as a proof of purchase method reign supreme.

At one-time near-pack GWP programs offered CPGs and retailers many benefits including

1.Increased Basket Size and Order Value: Customers were often motivated to reach a certain spending threshold to qualify for the free gift, which can lead to an increase in the number of items they purchase on a particular shopping trip.

2.Enhanced Brand Perception: Offering a gift with purchase would improve customers’ perception of the brand’s value, as it doesn’t devalue the products like discounts might.

3.Boosted Sales and Competitive Advantage: These programs can drive impulse sales and give retailers a competitive edge by offering something extra that competitors may not

Coor beer offering free cowboy hat with purchase
Coor beer offering free cowboy hat with purchase

Now the prevalence of near-pack GWP promotions, has declined which has me thinking about the reasons why.  Here are five reasons:

  • Cost and Profit Margins: Implementing near-pack gift programs can be expensive for both manufacturers and retailers. The cost of producing, packaging, and distributing the additional gift items can significantly impact profit margins. Given the highly competitive and low-margin nature of the grocery industry, many companies prefer to avoid these extra costs.
  • Operational Challenges: Coordinating gift with purchase programs involves logistical complexities. Ensuring the gifts are properly attached to or included with the main products, preventing theft, and managing inventory can be challenging. These operational difficulties can deter grocery stores from running such promotions.
  • Consumer Preferences: Modern consumers may prefer immediate price discounts or digital promotions over physical gifts. Digital coupons, loyalty programs, and personalized discounts offer more flexibility and convenience, aligning better with contemporary shopping habits and preferences.
  • Environmental Concerns: There is growing consumer and corporate awareness regarding sustainability and environmental impact. Near-pack gifts often involve additional packaging, contributing to waste. As companies strive to meet sustainability goals and cater to eco-conscious customers, they might avoid promotions that lead to increased packaging waste.
  • Effectiveness and Alternatives: The effectiveness of near-pack gift promotions in driving sales may have diminished over time. With the advent of sophisticated marketing strategies, data analytics, and personalized marketing, retailers and manufacturers can more effectively target promotions to specific consumer segments. This targeted approach can yield better results compared to the broad-brush method of near-pack gifts.
Immediate incentive free gift offers being replaced by receipt upload promotion tactic
Receipt upload promotion tactic being used frequently for free gift offers

In summary, while near-pack gift with purchase programs can be appealing, their decline in grocery stores is attributed to cost, operational challenges, changing consumer preferences, environmental considerations, and the availability of more effective promotional alternatives.

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Omnichannel Marketing Trends for CPG in 2024

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omnichannel marketing trends for 2024
Omnichannel marketing trends 2024

As 2023 comes to a close, I want to share with you my top three trends that will shape omnichannel marketing in 2024:

1. Prioritize Value Offers: In the current economic landscape, for the foreseeable future, consumers are going to be budget-conscious in order to stretch their grocery budgets. As a result, Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) companies must put together an omnichannel marketing plan to reach shoppers pre-shop and in-store with aggressive value-based offers such as price promotions, coupons (digital or IRCs), bonus loyalty points offers, contests and more to drive sales conversion.

Air Miles Receipts and Walmart Coupon Centre are two new options available to omnichannel marketers to reach shoppers with an added-value offer

2. Retailer Media: The seismic shift of advertising dollars towards retail media will undoubtedly continue in 2024.  The draw of first party sales data allowing CPG brands to reach key target audiences with relevant offers while in the shopping mode is challenging to resist. Plus, with the huge financial investments being made by the likes of Walmart and Loblaws, the shopper experience is only going to improve next year.

Retail media is becoming a key component of the omnichannel marketing playbook.

3. Generative AI: The advancements in generative AI technology will allow CPGs to become more efficient when it comes to omnichannel marketing. AI will help marketers to do such things as map out new shopper journeys, introduce new product innovation, identify the most profitable target audiences and personalize offers leading an increase in ROI.

I am interested in what you see as the key trends next year in omnichannel marketing, so leave a message in the comments section. 

Until next time, I wish everyone a happy and healthy holiday season.

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2023 Omnichannel Marketing Trends

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Top 5 omnichannel marketing trends for 2023

Omnichannel marketing is evolving so here are my predictions on what the top 5 trends for 2023 will be within CPG that will dominate the grocery landscape.

1. Brands will increase focus on online grocery shopping

While in-store will remain the #1 channel for grocery shopping, many brands are starting to invest more dollars to build an online ecosystem to ensure they reach shoppers to drive pre-shop consideration and online sales conversion.

2. CPGs will expand emphasis on personalization to improve conversion rates

A recent research study from McKinsey & Company shows 71% of consumers expect personalization and 76% will switch brands if they don’t like their shopping experience. As a result, many brands are using customer data and insights to create targeted and personalized experiences and offers direct to consumer or in partnership with key grocery retailers.

3. Retailer Media Networks will continue to grow in popularity

In my recent blog “Omnichannel Marketing & the Growth of Retail Media Networks”, I wrote about how retailer media networks are gaining in popularity.  How popular?  According to a trends report from the Path to Purchase Institute (P2PI) a survey of 166 marketing executives, shows retailer media networks as the number one most important omnichannel tactic in 2022. This trend is only going top continue this year.

4. Shoppers will increasingly demand brands be more sustainable.

Sustainability is becoming a key factor in consumer purchasing decisions. Brands that demonstrate a commitment to sustainability are more likely to attract and retain loyal customers. This will include promoting sustainable production practices, reducing packaging waste, and offering eco-friendly products.

5. High grocery prices will continue driving more shoppers to buy private label products.

As Brian Ettkin at Numerator Canada stated in an article in Canadian Grocer Magazine in October 2022: “Canadian shoppers have become more reliant on private label in today’s high inflation environment and there is no sign that sales will slow”. I agree.  Especially given that grocery prices will continue to rise in 2023 and the consumer perception of the quality of private label products is improving all the time.

What are your top 5 shopper marketing trends for 2023? I want to hear from other omnichannel marketers what is on your trends list.

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