Impulse Shopping is Alive and Well

This post on RetailWire highlights even though consumers are making shopping lists and trying to stick closely to it more than ever now, research shows that about 90% of those shoppers who create lists stray away from it and making impulse purchases once they get to the store.

The research, conducted by Miller Zell, also shows that the Generation Y is most likely to make impulse purchases based on advertising messages and end-caps. Curt Johnson, SVP for Miller Zell, mentions, "People talk so much about this generation researching everything online before they buy it, but this study showed that they actually index much higher than other age groups in terms of finding all advertising -- both in-store and outside the store -- as 'very effective'. Gen Y is, in fact, a lot more malleable inside the store than many marketers think."

What are your thoughts?

Kraft's iPhone App Draws Shoppers

According to RetailWire.com, The iFood Assistant from Kraft Foods now ranks among iPhone's top 100 paid apps, and number three in the lifestyle category. Consumers have to pay a one-time 99-cent fee for the app, sit through ads and even provide Kraft with real-time selling data. But Advertising Age said the app has clearly caught on because it's "actually useful."

"When we look at consumers, we think that they're busy and they're looking for food-planning tools that can make their lives easier," Ed Kaczmarek, director-innovation, new services at Kraft, told Advertising Age. "We developed iFood Assistant as a downloadable app so they can use it anytime and anywhere."

Have you tried this app? We'd like to hear your experiences.

Deloitte Says Retailers Must Invest or Close Up Shop

According to Inside the Aisle, Deloitte has said that the current economy provides an opportunity for retailers to be more competitive and take a market share that has been well segmented up to now. According to Deloitte, retailers that offer the greatest customer experience will be among the few who survive. What retailers do you see that are offering the best in customer experience? Share your thoughts with us here or on our LinkedIn group.