How retailers can reach the new 'omnishopper'

Quick, what's the last thing you bought and how did you buy it? With a tap on your smartphone or a swipe at the store register? Either way is standard in today’s buy-anywhere retail environment.

On a consumer’s shopping journey, there are several points of discovery and purchase: Sometimes we catch wind of a cool product through streaming platforms or social media like IG before buying it in person. Other times, something we love catches our eye in a store window and stays with us until we “add to cart” on our couch.

With so many ways to shop and so many sites to shop on, the possibilities for a great find are exponentially greater than they used to be. In other words, it’s a great time to be an “omnishopper,” someone who shops across multiple devices and places. But more accessibility for them means it’s not always easy for retailers to target them.

And omnishoppers aren’t just buying the things they need, they’re constantly looking for what they want. Or for what they didn’t know they wanted — until, in one magical moment, they discover it.

That sometimes makes it hard for brands to anticipate their next move. Because for omnishoppers, the hunt for “the best” fuels their behavior. Snagging a pair of sneakers before everyone's wearing them is a point of pride, much like being the first in their social groups to discover a fresh song from a favorite artist.

Effective retail marketing can boost sales by surprising and delighting omnishoppers at all points in the omnichannel journey. But your messaging has to feel authentic, tailored, and respectful of your audiences’ time and sensibilities. Consumers have so many choices these days, so when they do make a decision, it’s because they sense a personal — and mutual — relationship between themselves and your brand. Any hint of insincerity and they’ll either scroll or stroll right past your product.

But it’s also important for brands to advertise in the right place. If an authentic message is delivered on a platform people distrust, it will miss the mark. At Spotify, we’ve worked hard to build this trust with our listeners because we know how important it is — especially in today’s crowded digital marketplace. And it’s paid off: 67% of millennials find us trustworthy,¹ and we’re ranked number one out of 400 brands across industries by the MBLM Brand Intimacy tracker.²

It’s also probably why our audience spends so much time with us: Spotify Free listeners that use multiple devices are with us for about 2.5 hours each day.³ The more time they spend on our platform, the more personalized their experience becomes. That same level of targeting and relevancy applies to the ads we introduce to listeners. Which means that the trust we’ve earned as a platform by serving our listeners music and podcasts they love often extends to our advertising partners, too. With the combination of audio and video advertising, you have the opportunity to tell a more nuanced story that sparks interest and drives impact.

Download the full infographic below to learn more about how Spotify soundtracks the omnishopping experience.