Being adaptive is one of our company’s core values. It’s also a vital part of remaining successful and relevant in today’s economy, where shopper expectations creep ever higher and their priorities shift. We learned a lot about what shoppers expect of brands as part of our Shopper Influence Research program. Alter Agents CEO Rebecca Brooks discusses this, and more, in her most recent column for Forbes, titled “Why Adaptability Is Crucial For Meeting Shopper Expectations.”

Shoppers Have Options

Shoppers in today’s marketplace have more options than they can even examine. What’s more, they have more retail channels available as well, which has trained them not to automatically repurchase the same product from the same vendor every single time they enter a category. There’s always the promise of something different and better.

Expecting Constant Change

Beyond that breadth of options, shoppers also understand that the basket of options is in a state of constant change. Newer versions of products get rolled out, others are rebranded, and some drop off. The competition to always offer the newest and most improved thing has trained shoppers to expect that everywhere. That forces all brands to adapt to keep up.

Takeaways for Companies & Brands

Staying adaptable has to extend throughout the business. Here are some key areas:

• Product: When the products on the virtual or physical shelf constantly change, yours need to be seen as evolving with the times to compete. Innovation is the name of the game.
• Marketing: Where shoppers turn to for information during the purchase journey constantly shifts. Making sure you’re in the right place at the right time is important, and requires regular updates.
• Sales: The process of buying your product or service should be as seamless as possible. Barriers to purchase are very real, and a significant threat when shoppers have so much choice. Work to understand what these barriers are, and then lower them.
• Research: Constant change requires constant research to understand and contextualize it. Don’t let your consumer research go stale. It requires regular updates and adaptive methodologies to keep up with shopper trends.

“Shoppers are fickle, and keeping them in your column requires that you adapt to suit them,” Rebecca writes. “Keeping that in mind for all areas of your business will help you stay ahead.”

We’ve done research for dozens of brands as they work to adapt to today’s shopper. Let us help you.

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