Segmenting Buyers: Introducing Super Buyers, Connected Traditionalists, And Traditionalists

For US consumers, the shopping experience has moved beyond the in-store experience and involves multiple other channels. Online shopping now accounts for a significant part of consumers' wallet share — US online retail sales exceeded $200 billion in 2011 and are expected to grow another 12% in 2012. While many people use the Internet to complete their transactions, the purchase process isn't the end of the road: Consumers connect with brands throughout the customer life cycle — they engage, discover, explore, and buy using a variety of channels. This report examines how three distinct retail segments of US online consumers — Super Buyers, Connected Traditionalists, and Traditionalists — leverage various channels for their shopping needs and explains how companies can best engage with each segment.