Consumers use media to plan shopping - Roots survey

Only about 10% (depending on the category) don't use advertising, which is good news for the industry accountants who feel unsure about advertising effectiveness and the investment required.

However, he states that media channels need to be considered carefully before investing, since some channels are more effective than others are.

During the 45 minute face-to-face survey, respondents were asked (amongst many other questions) about how they shop. One of the questions asked the respondents if they were looking for information on groceries or specials on groceries, which media they were most likely to use.

Results

• 87% used a media source to plan their shopping trips and only 13% did not
  
• Of the 87%, 54% looked for inserts or ads in their community paper, 13% via their daily paper, 19% inserts or ads delivered loose at home and 11% via TV
  
• Only 1.7% used weekend papers (not surprising since 65% of all grocery shopping happens on the weekend possibly too late for the shoppers who have planned already)
  
• radio at 0.4%
  
• outdoor at 1.2%
  
• magazines at 0.6%
  
• Internet came in at a low for food and groceries at 0.5%

Bowles adds, "Consumers are convenience driven. They want as much choice and range as possible and they shop at different times. You cannot create basic buyer behaviour through advertising you can only assist it. The survey backs this up in terms of the media channel choice." He states that since consumers are convenience driven and time strapped, they look for channels that are relevant and comprehensive in their range.

Inserts more effective than knock and drop

He says there is a two-part reason as to why customers have taken up insert advertising. The inserts provide the range of category products and services (with the necessary buyer info). The placement relates to the relevancy for the buyer - adverts indicate where you have products and services available (the catchment areas). In addition, inserts are the preferred choice when planning and even browsing.

From the survey results, 40% read inserts when they're looking for something in particular and 53% read them all the time, simply browsing to see what's in the market. Only 7% don't read them.

So why isn't a knock n' drop in the post box the first choice for these buyers since it can saturate the catchment area of retail more scientifically? Bowles believes the answer is quite simple and logical.

"With community press, the market, community, reader and buyer get the whole deal. They get local relevant news about schools, the municipality, crime, sports, events, in fact everything pertaining to the area they live in. The local advertising combines itself superbly into this environment offering the reader a one stop weekly shopping mall relevant to their lives. If there wasn't editorial, there wouldn't be the literal buy in and conversely if there wasn't advertising, the buyers wouldn't use them to plan their shop," he explains.

Newspapers first choice

From the survey results and similar previous research, it would suggest he's right. Across all 101 urban areas, city suburbs to country towns, free or sold locally, newspapers are the first choice across all the categories for buying decisions. From food and groceries, appliances, audio visual, computers and clothing to plumbers, restaurants, accountants and domestic workers, the local community newspaper is the first port of call of reference. It is indeed the place where buying decisions are made.

Conducted by TNS Research Surveys, the data is available free of charge to retailers, marketers, media planners and strategists and on Telmar systems. For more information, contact NAB at +27 (0) 11 889 0610 or visit www.nab.co.za. Follow NAB on Twitter at www.twitter.com/NAB_SA or www.twitter.com/ROOTS2010.