72% of shoppers fear long lines this year, and 27% say they’ll walk away if staffing falls short.

DALLAS, TX, UNITED STATES, October 31, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- This holiday season, the brick-and-mortar checkout experience may be as critical as the products on the shelves. According to a new survey from Theatro, a leading provider of voice-enabled communication solutions for frontline retail workers, 72% of holiday shoppers anticipate long lines as their biggest frustration this year, and 27% say they’d likely abandon their carts if there’s not enough employees to keep the line moving.

To explore what’s driving holiday shoppers to brick-and-mortar retail stores and the experiences they’re expecting from retailers this year, Theatro partnered with the third-party survey platform Pollfish on the 2024 Theatro Holiday Shopping Report to uncover the holiday shopping plans of 500 U.S. consumers aged 18+.

The findings reveal heightened expectations and reduced patience among holiday shoppers, underscoring the need for retailers to prioritize operational policies and technology that prioritizes the in-store customer experience.

Key findings include:

● Brick-and-mortar stores reclaim holiday shoppers: 26% of shoppers plan to shop more in-person this holiday season, with 64% motivated by the ability to see and touch products, and 32% drawn by the festive atmosphere.

● Checkout chaos drives shoppers–and their carts–away: 72% of shoppers anticipate long lines as a major frustration this year and 27% say they’d likely abandon their cart while waiting in line if there’s not enough employees to keep the line moving, while 22% admit they’ll avoid a store at all costs if it’s not properly staffed.

● Loyalty rewards lure budget-conscious shoppers: 63% of shoppers saying they plan to prioritize retailers who offer store rewards program incentives, 43% of shoppers saying they’ll shop earlier or later for the right rewards incentive, and 34% planning to hold out for last-minute deals to stretch their budget.

● Shoppers lose patience with tech-distracted employees: 24% ranked employees staring at a device is a top annoyance while shopping this year, 36% are annoyed by self-checkout or self-service devices that are difficult to use or malfunction, and 30% are annoyed when employees haven’t been properly trained in the store’s technology.

● Safety fears dampen holiday cheer: 78% of shoppers said they fear for their safety while shopping during the holidays this year, with 60% saying they want retailers to invest in more technology to keep stores safe.

“The message from shoppers is clear: they’re excited to experience the magic of holiday shopping, but they won’t settle for anything less than stellar service,” said Theatro’s CEO Chris Todd. “Retailers have an incredible opportunity this holiday season to build trust and loyalty by meeting the evolving expectations of shoppers with incentives, policies and technology that prioritizes the customer experience. At the end of the day, it’s not just about the products on the shelves; it’s about crafting the ideal holiday shopping environment that keeps customers coming back year after year.”

Visit the 2024 Theatro Holiday Shopping Report at Theatro’s website for the complete survey results.

About Theatro
Theatro, pioneers of the first voice-enabled Mobile Communication Platform, is driving Digital Transformation for the hourly workforce with its powerful suite of Collaboration Apps and Digital Workflows that deliver consistent and measurable results. With its “Heads Up & Hands-Free” As-a-Service solution, Theatro helps enterprises unlock their frontline’s full potential and accelerate business success by enabling them to automate manual or multi-step processes which improve productivity, operational efficiency, employee engagement and the customer experience. For more information, visit https://www.theatro.com.

Theatro PR
Idea Grove
email us here
+1 972-235-3439

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.