When shopping for household goods.

Australian consumers are increasingly putting more value on a personalised customer experience over traditional point of sale (POS) when shopping in-store, according to a survey conducted by SOTI, provider of mobile and IoT device management solutions.

The survey revealed that 61% of Australian consumers want to receive personalised customer service out of their in-store shopping experience, followed by 45% of shoppers wanting a fun and entertaining in-store experience.

SOTI Australia and New Zealand managing director, Michael Dyson said, “Customers are moving away from simply wanting a quick and efficient traditional sales counter transaction. They want to be engaged by sales associates throughout the retail store and provided with enjoyable service that is tailored specifically to their needs.”

When asked what appeals most about this type of retail experience, 51% of Australian consumers stated that guaranteed availability of a product was the main appeal. Home delivery of a purchase within 24 hours, and not having to carry purchases around after shopping, (44%) also proved to be high priorities for consumers.

There is also a clear preference towards the types of products customers would consider purchasing in this way, technology (61%) and appliances (49%) were amongst the most popular items.

“While most Australian retailers have not yet caught on to this trend, research shows consumers are more than ready for this in-store shift,” Dyson said.

“The popularity of online shopping can be attributed to the convenience for consumers of being able to get the product they want sent straight to their home. However, with many customers still having a preference towards being able to see and touch the product in person first, this new concept store could prove to be the best of both worlds.”