Consumer Digest Issue 3: Omnichannel Shoppers

There have never been more ways to buy groceries. Modern shopping habits mean CPGs must plan around blended online and in-store purchasing, pickup and delivery options, and mixed-channel discovery.

This issue of the Consumer Digest zooms in on how omnichannel shoppers move between an array of options to fulfill their grocery orders.

Online shopping is growing, but in-store is still the default.

90% of shoppers are shopping online as much or more than last year, yet 74% of trips still happen in-store.

While digital plays a growing role in planning and research, most purchases are still finalized in the aisle.

Brand Takeaway Digital touchpoints can help drive physical trips. Brands that show up in key “planning moments” while shoppers browse online earn a spot on the list and in the basket.

Measuring media performance across a fragmented journey can be challenging. Because discovery often happens online and conversion happens in-store, optimizing investment relies on tying media spend to retail outcomes at the shelf.

Stock-up vs. Fill-in: Shoppers choose channels based on trip type

More than half of shoppers (55%) choose online options for larger stock-up trips, while fill-in and urgent needs skew (70%-79%) heavily toward in-store.

Channel choice is mission-driven. For larger routine purchases, shoppers look to delivery and pickup options for convenience. These planned trips allow time to compare options and respond to digital offers.

Consumer responses show that fill‑in and urgent trips are primarily in‑store experiences, with shoppers entering the store to solve an immediate need. In these moments, brand choice is often decided at the shelf, where visibility, availability, and relevance have an outsized impact.

Brand Takeaway Become part of routine stock-up trips with onsite basket-building activations. Relevant add-on offers, bulk discounts, and messaging tied to stock‑ups encourage regular purchases.

Winning in‑store starts upstream. Digital awareness and consideration carry through to the shelf, when shoppers make faster decisions about what goes in the cart.

Omnichannel loyalty varies, highlighting an opportunity to compete

Nearly 1 in 3 shoppers ‘sometimes’ or ‘always’ buy different brands in-store and online. Brand preferences can shift depending on context, channel, and mission. What feels like loyalty in one environment doesn’t always carry over to another.

Shoppers who aren’t anchored to the same brand across channels are actively making decisions based on convenience, value, and relevance in the moment. For brands, that creates opportunity: consistent presence across digital and physical touchpoints can influence choice earlier in the journey and increase the likelihood of conversion, regardless of where the final purchase happens.

Brand Takeaway Win brand-flexible omnichannel shoppers by showing up consistently with offers and messaging tied to real purchase habits. Onsite media and targeted incentives can influence brand choice earlier in the journey and support conversion both online and at the shelf.

Download the Consumer Digest for More Omnichannel Shopper Insights

Different touchpoints, delivery and pickup options, and in‑store shopping each play a role in the omnichannel journey. Digital planning is more popular than ever, but conversion largely happens at the physical shelf.

Download the full Consumer Digest to understand how these behaviors intersect and how brands can activate more effectively across the full path to purchase.