The Nuances of Shopper Missions and Shopping Occasions.

Shopper marketing, though a relatively young field, has quickly developed a dense lexicon. This is largely due to the field's rapid evolution and the need to precisely communicate complex concepts and strategies. The emergence of terms like "shopper mission" and "shopping occasion" reflects attempts to better understand and segment consumer behavior in increasingly granular ways. These concepts aim to capture the nuances of why and how people shop, going beyond traditional demographic segmentation to offer deeper insights.

What Constitutes a Shopper’s Mission?

At its core, a shopper’s mission can be seen as the primary goal or set of goals that a shopper aims to achieve during a specific shopping trip. This concept encompasses both consumer needs (what is intended for consumption) and shopper needs (the broader context of the shopping experience).

For instance, if a shopper heads to a supermarket with the aim of buying ingredients for dinner, the consumption need is clear: ingredients for a meal. However, this mission might also include additional shopper needs, such as adhering to a budget, completing the shopping quickly, or selecting items that cater to dietary restrictions. In this scenario, the shopper’s mission is multifaceted, combining both the immediate consumption requirements and broader logistical or personal considerations.

A shopper’s mission might also involve multiple consumption needs, which can further complicate the mission. For example, while buying ingredients for dinner, a shopper might also pick up snacks for a weekend party or medicine from a pharmacy. Each additional need adds layers to the mission, influencing where the shopper decides to go and what they prioritize in their purchases.

The Absence of a Clear Consumption Need

Not all shopping trips are driven by clear consumption needs. There are instances where the motivation to shop is not tied to an immediate or specific need for a product. For example, consider a traveler browsing a duty-free store during a layover, with no particular item in mind for future consumption. This scenario typifies a shopping occasion, where the act of shopping is driven more by situational factors rather than a predefined mission.

Social shopping occasions provide another example. When friends go to a mall primarily to spend time together, their trip is driven by the desire to socialize rather than to purchase specific items. In these cases, the shopping occasion is characterized by a focus on the experience itself, such as passing time, enjoying company, or exploring new products rather than fulfilling a specific consumption need.

Marketers' Response to Shopper Insights

Understanding whether a shopper trip is driven by a mission or an occasion is crucial for effective marketing strategies. When dealing with a shopper’s mission, marketers can focus on clearly identifying and addressing both the consumption and shopper needs. For example, a grocery store might offer meal kits that simplify the process of buying dinner ingredients, thus meeting the shopper’s need for convenience and the consumer’s need for a meal.

In situations where there is a tradeoff between consumer and shopper needs, marketers must prioritize which needs to address to maximize satisfaction and drive purchases. For instance, if a shopper values quick and easy shopping, stores can enhance the experience with streamlined layouts and efficient checkout processes.

Conversely, marketing to shoppers during occasions without a specific consumption need requires a different approach. Here, the goal is to create or highlight latent needs and provide immediate opportunities to fulfill them. For example, placing a sign above the Champagne section in an airport duty-free store that reads, “Christmas isn’t complete without Champagne,” can prompt travelers to think about the upcoming festive season and consider purchasing Champagne.

The Unique Nature of Each Shopper Trip

Ultimately, every shopper and shopping trip is unique. Whether driven by a clear shopper mission or a shopping occasion, there is always an opportunity for a purchase. The key for marketers is to understand the type of trip being targeted and what the shopper seeks to achieve. By doing so, they can tailor their strategies to meet both immediate and latent needs, ensuring that their offerings resonate with shoppers and lead to successful conversions.

Understanding these dynamics not only helps in crafting more effective marketing strategies but also in creating better shopping experiences that cater to the varied and evolving needs of consumers.

J.J. Thompson

#ShopperMarketing #ConvertThroughtExperience #RetailMedia