[Infographic] What’s Trending in South Africa: 2019 Shopper Trends

In store shopping has long been the predominant way to shop, however, online shopping has quickly grown to become the preferred channel for many. Consumer preferences have shifted in response to the pandemic, as many have faced changes in their jobs, income and leisure time. And, online shopping has quickly proven to be go-to alternative, providing promises of safety and convenience. Even among new and low-frequency customers we are witnessing an unprecedented shift toward eCommerce and contactless sales channels. As a result, retail digitalisation has quickly become a must.

Digital retail technologies hold the potential to create game-changing innovations. For consumers, this means high-digital touch shopping experiences, from AI to mobile-enabled shopping and options. For retailers, this means technology that keeps shoppers engaged, employees safe, stores open, brands thriving, and builds a competitive edge for the future.

Digital strategies also hold the potential to accelerate the omnichannel retail model, which has become indispensable to a retailer’s ability to deliver exceptional brand experiences on all sales channels. Bringing more digital touchpoints into the shopping experience enables brands to serve to customers on a more personalised level by collating even more data that retailers can leverage from a central database to draw meaningful conclusion about their customers, including broad product recommendations, special promotions, and purchase history.

iVend Retail by CitiXsys is a global provider of integrated omnichannel solutions for retail and hospitality chains. Our software solutions integrate vital systems to produce a flawless ecosystem where data flows instantly and freely, with minimal IT investment. Designed to provide exceptional customer experiences throughout the entire shopper and dining journey, iVend Retail solutions for point of sale, loyalty, eCommerce, digital passes, analytics and mobility will increase revenue, improve customer retention, and bring in new business, all while lowering your operating costs. Our suite of solutions is available through a worldwide distribution network of certified partners.