Mobile, it's often said, is remaking retail as consumers increasingly use their devices to hunt for information before they shop. While all the research supports this finding, one information source remains strongly rooted in the past — the printed circular.
According to new research by Market Force Information, nearly half of consumers review printed circulars once a week while 16 percent review them three to four times a week. Eighty percent plan shopping trips based on what they find in printed circulars, 67 percent clip coupons from them and 63 percent use them to compare prices between competing supermarkets.
Market Force's findings support a survey conducted last year by the Newspaper Association of America, which found 70 percent of people check newspaper inserts to find out about sales. Nearly half (48 percent) said it was easier to browse printed inserts than go looking for the same information online.
Source: Market Force Information
Research suggests printed circulars are not going away as quickly as some would like. According to a survey of 11,000 mobile users by Retale and Placed, 31 percent, citing convenience, currently use a mobile app to aggregate weekly ads for multiple retailers. Nearly half, however, have not used a digital circular.
- Trader Joe's is Consumers' Favorite Grocery Store for Third Straight Year, According to New Market Force Information Study - Market Force Information
- New NAA Research: 57 Percent of Adults Use Newspaper Media for Shopping Planning and Purchasing Decisions in an Average Week - Newspaper Association of America
- Retail deals with its circular problem - RetailWire