Survey: 39% of shoppers prefer buying groceries through an app

While many consumers prefer buying groceries through an app versus shopping in-store, online expectations are not fully being met by retailers.

Thirty-nine percent of shoppers prefer buying groceries through an app, according to a new study of 1,000 consumers commissioned by mobile app developer Bryj and conducted by Dynata. At the same time, 20% of consumers are dissatisfied with mobile grocery shopping experiences, with only 31% reported being “fully satisfied.”

Half of consumers (49%) are only somewhat satisfied and wish grocery stores would enhance the mobile shopping experience. A strong mobile app could go a long way for consumers, as 53% of those in Bryj’s survey said they are more likely to shop with a grocer that has a mobile app over one that does not.

For a majority of those surveyed (53%), time-savings was the top benefit of grocery mobile apps, followed by the ability to check inventory at nearby stores (48%), and convenience (43%).  A majority of consumers (73%) said they use mobile grocery apps to verify in-stock items before shopping in-person. This increases among younger generations to 84% of Millennials and Gen Z.

The top pain points consumers experience with grocery e-commerce include items being out of stock despite showing they were available at the time of ordering (48%), product quality issues (32%), and items not showing on the app that are usually available in-store (30%). Consumers said they would be more likely to use grocery mobile apps to shop if they provided an accurate real-time view of inventory availability (58%), followed by in-app exclusive coupons and discounts (47%), and visibility into when an out-of-stock item is going to be restocked (41%).

“Consumers today expect convenience and efficiency in every transaction and interaction. We’ve only just scratched the surface of the digital revolution within grocery e-commerce, and mobile devices are key to unlocking its full potential,” said Lawrence Snapp, CEO of Bryj. “With AI, mobile checkout and personalized digital experiences, grocers can enhance mobile experiences to better meet consumer expectations, strengthen customer loyalty, and increase the bottom line."