The results are in, and Walmart is the winner! And also the loser. Shoppers don’t seem to care for the retailer very much, but its prices apparently make the place hard to resist.
In a holiday-themed follow-up to a survey it conducted in the spring, Market Force Information has released an updated look at the grocery sellers it says are “delivering value, trust, and satisfaction just in time for the busiest shopping season of the year.”
What it found was that “Walmart reigns supreme as America’s primary grocer,” and the retailer even takes the lead when shoppers are asked to name their second or third choices for buying groceries, “cementing its dominance” as the country’s most popular grocery store.
And yet, Walmart’s success “isn’t driven by customer satisfaction or trust,” Market Force points out. Walmart ranks dead last in both measures. So even Walmart’s own customers don’t necessarily trust it, or come away satisfied with their shopping experience. But “its expansive store network and unbeatable value offerings make it a go-to choice for budget-conscious families,” Market Force found – indicating that frugal shoppers are willing to make some compromises in order to save money.
One part of grocery shopping where many shoppers are not willing to make compromises, however, involves coupons.
Back in the spring, Market Force asked shoppers what they didn’t like about their usual grocery stores. Most cited out-of-stock items, pricing errors, or slow checkouts as their biggest pet peeves. But a significant number also cited problems redeeming coupons. Back then, Fred Meyer was the worst offender, followed by Food 4 Less, Albertsons, Safeway, Jewel-Osco and Fry’s.
This time around, Fred Meyer still holds the ignominious distinction of being the store where shoppers report having the most problems with coupons. Overall, 2.8% of all grocery shoppers say they’ve experienced problems with coupons. At Fred Meyer, that percentage more than doubles, to 6%. Close behind this time are Smith’s, Safeway, Winn-Dixie and ACME.
And when shoppers are especially concerned about saving money, missing out on coupon savings is not going to go over well.
Not every grocery shopper is unhappy, though. Some of their favorite grocery chains still have a lot going for them. Market Force found that Publix, H-E-B and Wegmans are the “most well-rounded” grocers, excelling in every attribute measured. H-E-B, Wegmans and Trader Joe’s are tops in customer satisfaction, while Lidl, Sam’s Club and Hannaford were named the “most trusted” grocers.
When asked the most important factor in choosing a grocery store, 62% of survey respondents said convenience. Promotions, specials and loyalty rewards were close runners-up. Better prices and more promotions were also the top factors that shoppers say could encourage them to shop even more frequently at a particular store.
Nearly 20% of shoppers say they’re considering shopping at a different grocery store altogether. Some are looking for a better fresh food selection, some a better one-stop-shopping experience. And who wouldn’t like to shop at a store where there’s no trouble redeeming your coupons?
“As households navigate the holiday rush, brands that focus on convenience, pricing, and consistently delivering a great shopping experience are best positioned to win customer loyalty and trust,” Market Force concluded. “With the average household grocery budget at an all-time high, the stakes are higher than ever.”
Walmart certainly aims to beat its competitors on price. When it comes to a “great shopping experience,” however, it may still have some work to do. But as long as Walmart remains most shoppers’ first, second or third choice for buying groceries, don’t look for the world’s biggest and most successful food retailer to fix what apparently isn’t broken.
Image source: Walmart
Wegmans doesn’t do a good job with online manufacturer coupons, they even sent a survey out a few months ago regarding that. That’s likely because they don’t carry many manufacturer products in the store, they have morphed into having only their Wegmans products on the shelves, with very little choice and high prices to boot. Have one a half mile away from me, and I rarely if ever stop there.