Covid hit UK shoppers reject robot retail and crave human touch
Demand for real human expertise is on the rise, as consumers become increasingly conscious about what and how they’re spending in an ever changing Covid world.
That’s according to a new report from UK-based tech retailer Currys and The Future Laboratory.
2,010 Brits were surveyed for this, with 68% claiming they’ve completely reliant on their electronics during the coronavirus outbreak, using an average of 11 devices a day and for up to eight hours.
According to Currys, smart devices and security in particular have seen exponential growth, with multi- connect devices like the Google Nest up 68% YOY, as people look to simplify their home life.
Other tech, such as smart fridges, have seen huge uplift in the 12 months, with people eating more when working from home, but also looking to spend less on big food shops and thus needing tech to help them preserve food and reduce waste.
And, in the months when lunchtime walks became a go to work out for all, smart watches and fitness trackers also became a must have for consumers – up 182% since before the pandemic.
However, as innovation in the market increases, so does consumer confusion.
The aforementioned report reveals 59% of Brits think there are too many options when buying new tech, and a further 68% said they felt overwhelmed when researching pre-purchase.
The report shows that tech purchases are more complex than other purchases as more than half of people in the UK have bought incorrect tech at some point in the last year, thanks to a mix of fake reviews, false endorsements, and complicated tech jargon.
One in four Brits said they found online reviews generally untrustworthy, with 48% claiming they’d prefer to speak to a real life advisor before buying a piece of tech. This goes up to 77% if it gets them to the right product quicker.
A quarter of all consumers questioned by Currys also agreed that they now rely more on person to person advice than chatbots and AI when looking at tech products, to ensure they make an informed decision.
In fact, dissatisfaction with robot retail is so high, just 3% of people believe brands should be focusing on automated chatbots and algorithms, with 41% stating time should be spent focusing on human expertise.
Michelle Gorringe-Smith, Director of Stores at Currys, comments: “Tech products that make our lives easier have gone from invisible to visible in the last two years.”
“Which is why we have spent nearly £25 million in training our colleagues to establish our customers’ needs so they can find them the right tech, whether that’s the best washing machine for a family or a fitness tracker for a marathon runner.’”
Simon Peck, Head of Omnichannel at Currys, says: “People are happy to shop online by themselves in some categories, but when they are spending a lot of money, like premium TVs, they want to speak to an expert.”
“The success of ShopLive, which we launched in the pandemic, highlights this customer need for human advice as it provides a seamless link between store and online.”
Natalie Berg, founder, NBK Retail, says: “Five thousand four and a half star reviews don’t mean anything if you don’t trust that they're genuine and they've come from an actual person. Then, your staff become your greatest assets.”
