Rewards and relevance are key for Canadians: Survey

Offering the best price isn’t the only way into Canadians' wallets.

A new global survey from Eagle Eye, a U.K.-based performance-marketing firm, found that while 74% of Canadians choose a retailer based on the best price, their growing expectation of rewards and recognition also has a powerful influence on where they choose to shop. Nearly two-thirds (64%) of Canadians say they choose a retailer based on “a wide variety of relevant and timely promotions, discounts or rewards,” and 63% are influenced by loyalty programs.

For its latest report, The Connected Customer, Eagle Eye surveyed approximately 4,000 consumers in Canada, Australia, United Kingdom and United States to get a read on consumers’ shopping habits and digital preferences.

More Canadians (64%) ranked “relevancy” as the most important criteria for using a promotion, slightly behind the U.S. at 67%. Canadians are second only to Australians (65% versus 66%) when it comes to collecting and using loyalty points and rewards, far outpacing Americans (44%).

“Canadian consumers want relevant promotions,” the report states. “That’s why it’s crucial for retailers and brands to identify their customers’ preferences and common characteristics, so they can target and engage with them more effectively to drive increased frequency and spend.”

Canadians are also more likely to use a promotion delivered through a loyalty program app, with 27% saying they favour the app versus 23% of Australians, 17% of Americans and 16% of consumers in the U.K.

Looking at the growing importance of digital customer connections, the report states that online is overtaking the store for the browsing, search and discovery phases of the shopping journey, while brick and mortar is still the preferred venue for completing a purchase (77%). The survey found:

•Canadian consumers visited three digital channels on average before making a purchase.

•Canadians are significantly more likely to visit a ratings and review website (33%) or social network (31%) than consumers in other regions surveyed.

•Canadians are also the most likely (31%) to visit a social network before making a purchase, compared to 30% in Australia, 29% in the U.S., and 10% in the U.K.