The Research Shopper

The Research Shopper shops with their brain above all other things and does their homework before making most purchases.  While some research shoppers take a deep dive into every purchase, others do so on more expensive or permanent items.  Relying very little on gut feeling and instead leaning heavily on research, reviews, expert recommendations, and trusted voices. 

This shopper generally has an idea of what they want before buying and may even have their mind made up before the research begins, but they are driven to find out all they can to support their buying decisions.  Much of their information gathering is done on their own, but they are known to bring others into the fold, asking them for their opinions, but rarely uses the recommendations.

Brands are compared, every feature is examined, add-ons are explored, customer reviews are read, and prices, shipping, and discounts are added to the equation.  Reading expert articles, scrolling each brand websites, and gathering information from multiple sources are a must before this shopper moves forward with a purchase.  

Very logical shopping behavior for those buying a house, car, or vacation, but the true research shopper is also seen reading every label in a retail store, looking for scams related to every new company they come across, and they find out where products are made, how they are made, and what they are made of.  Not only does this shopping behavior drive the shopping habits, but it also slips into their relationships when they share as much about their shopping journey with others.  

Before online shopping, this shopper may have visited a store half a dozen times before deciding, asking more questions with each visit. Today that same information-gathering approach is much easier online, sometimes researching for hours or even days.  This shopper benefits when the choices are brought together and comparisons are done for them, helping them to eliminate and narrow down the decision.  They also enjoy a video that shows the product in use, listening to an expert explain why they should buy the item, and learning unique details play a role in their decision making process.  

While many shoppers enter this shopping mode when making major purchases such as a car, bicycle, appliance, or even adopting a dog, the true research shopper must research every time, turning even simple purchase such as a dog collar into thoughtful research projects. There is a bit of a treasure hunt aspect to this shopper profile, making the research a big part of the shopping journey.  There is also pride in 'solving the problem' when they are able to find a part for an antique car, finding a discount code on their own, or finding a reason not to buy a product that they are glad to know.

Marketing to this shopper is all about the sharing of information, being willing to compare your products with others, and being very transparent with the product information and attributes.  Allowing this shopper to access additional information, inviting them to live q & a, or sharing updated information via email to shoppers who request articles, stats, and 'further information.'

Unlike the social shoppers, this shopper rarely tells anyone what he purchased and while he may ask for opinions, this shopper ends up doing what they want, and not seeking validation from others.  Their confidence comes from knowing they are fully informed and that a decision has made. AI was a gift to this shopper, allowing them to gather so much more information and organize it into different formats to make the deep dive even deeper. Guided by logic, detail, and determination, the Research Shopper buys with the brain, takes pride in making the right choice, and finds satisfaction in the process of understanding before buying.