A study conducted by Omnisense on behalf of the Union of Polish Employers of Trade and Services (ZPPHiU) and the Polish Association of Commercial Tenants (PSNPH) reveals that as many as 52% of shopping centre customers visit as a result of interest in buying a product they had found online, with an equal 52% visiting in order to check out a product researched on the internet. This indicates that stores that operate and build their online offers have a strong influence on promoting shopping centres. This trend is even more visible among the younger population: 72% in the 18-24 age group, 65% aged 25-34, and 58% aged 35-44. Moreover, as many as 28% of respondents visit shopping centres as a result of being interested in a product they found on social media, while among the youngest group of 18-24-year-olds, this figure rises to 54%.
The so-called ROPO effect- browsing products online and buying them in brick-and-mortar stores – applies to almost all consumers. This is confirmed by the latest reports:
Chamber of Digital Economy Omni-commerce. Buy conveniently 2024[2]:
Gemius e-commerce in Poland 2024[3]:
“The internet significantly drives foot traffic to shopping centres, especially among younger customers. As many as 52% of respondents state that they visit shopping centres to check or purchase products they had earlier found online. The highest percentage of such visits was recorded among people aged 18-34, indicating a strong influence of the internet on traditional shopping in shopping centres. Clients often use shopping centres as places where they can physically examine a product, test it, for example, for size or quality, and then purchase it. The financial resources stores spend on promoting offers on the internet significantly boost the popularity and visit rates of shopping centres. It is worth considering these expenditures as an additional contribution made by tenants for the benefit of these facilities and their owners. Looking at the results among younger consumer groups, this trend is expected to intensify, and in the future, the online offer will be the primary motivating factor for visiting shopping centres. This indicates that rental agreements should already start considering the expenditures on online promotion made by tenants as part of the paid rent” – points out Zofia Morbiato, General Director of the Union of Polish Employers of Trade and Services (ZPPHiU).
Research Omnisense[4]:
Shopping mall visits due to interest in purchasing a product found online.
Out of the verified online activities, the purchase of a product found online motivates the largest part of the respondents to visit shopping centres (52%).
Visiting a shopping mall due to the verification of a product found on the Internet (size, colour, quality)
The share of shopping centre customers visiting them to verify the product they found on the Internet is 52%.
The percentage of visitors to shopping centres for this reason is above average among women (56%) as well as among people aged 18-34 (63-66%).
Visiting a shopping mall due to an interest in purchasing a product discovered on social media.
Shopping centre visits as a result of being interested in a product found on social media makes up 28% of shopping centre customers. The percentage of visitors to shopping centres for this reason is above average among people aged 18-24 (54%), 25-34 (41%) and among residents of cities with a population of 100-500 thousand (59%).
These issues were extensively discussed during the III Congress of ZPPHiU and PSNPH – the threats and proposed solutions safeguarding and limiting tenant risks in this area were presented. The main theme of the Congress were so-called “green lease agreements” and lowering investment costs as a result of a well-thought-out negotiation strategy and comprehensive cost control. In addition, for the first time, research results showing the actual expectations of shopping centre customers were presented, along with a discussion about a new tool facilitating the assessment of customer experience at the level of the shopping centre and the store.
[1] Omnisense research conducted using the CAWI method on a sample of 1011 adult Poles (shopping centre customers) between 2-6 September 2024.
[4] Omnisense research conducted using the CAWI method on a sample of 1011 adult Poles (shopping centre customers) between 2-6 September 2024.
Source: https://managerplus.pl/az-52-uzytkownikow-odwiedza-centra-handlowe-aby-kupic-produkty-wyszukane-w-internecie-85109
