1 in 4 Consumers Want to Be Entertained While Shopping

With consumers growing accustomed to the constant stimulation of digital multitasking, many shoppers are finding that the act of purchasing is not enough to keep them entertained.

By the Numbers

The “How Connected Devices Enable Multitasking Among Digital-First Consumers” edition of the PYMNTS Intelligence “How We Will Pay” study drew from a survey of more than 4,600 United States consumers to understand how they are using connected devices and apps to carry out multiple tasks across various parts of their lives.

The results revealed that among the three-quarters of consumers who used connected devices while shopping for retail products or groceries, nearly 1 in 3 did so for leisure or entertainment. The finding suggested that consumers want to be entertained while they shop.

Furthermore, the share of consumers who engaged in leisure or entertainment activities using their connected devices while shopping exceeded the share using them to complete work-related tasks, order from restaurants or complete household chores.

The Data in Context

Retailers are trying to create more immersive, entertaining buying experiences. In the spring, for instance, Walmart launched Walmart Realm, a gamified marketplace of more immersive virtual shops created in partnership with influencers, targeted at social media trends.

“Steeped in data, we followed these three trends: customers enjoy brands they shop with more when they have unique virtual experiences; customers want to be entertained while shopping; [and] customers enjoy and are inspired by virtual games where they can immediately purchase items they discover,” Justin Breton, the retailer’s director of brand experiences and strategic partnerships, told PYMNTS in May.

Plus, Zara is bringing its live-shopping broadcasts, which have gained popularity in China, to the U.S., looking to make shopping more entertaining.

“We want to take this to the Western countries, where livestream is not as popular … but we think why not — from an entertainment perspective this is like an evolution,” said a Zara spokesperson for the project last month.

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