Young Britons want tech makeover of corner shops, says survey

Local retailers and corner shops should consider updating their tech to continue attracting younger shoppers, states a recent research, citing its findings that half of young Britons would like to see digital improvements at their local corner shop more than lower prices.

According to a new research from Vodafone and Allwyn, an operator of lotteries in numerous countries across Europe and an applicant for the fourth National Lottery license, half (50 per cent) of under 34-year-olds would like to see digital improvements at their local corner shop – but only a third said they’d prefer to see lower prices (31 per cent).

The poll of 1,000 adults also found that more than half of respondents (51 per cent) said they thought their local corner shop had no digital technology whatsoever.

The most common forms of digital tech being used by local corner shops according to the research were websites (19 per cent), social media (16 per cent), and self-service checkouts (15 per cent). 

However, only 12 per cent of customers said their local store had a mobile app or loyalty scheme and only 9 per cent said they were aware of online collection ordering services.

There is an opportunity for local retailers to upgrade their use of digital technology to continue enticing younger customers, and provide a smooth and efficient service, the research concluded.

The research does identify a small group of “digital innovators” whose businesses are benefiting from the use of digital technology, including Mosi Patel, the owner of two independent corner shops in Greater Manchester.

Mosi has invested in the development of his own app which offers delivery services and allows him to promote targeted offers to customers based on their shopping history. Mosi also uses social media to connect with customers to ensure he is always able to deliver the best service. 

Following online feedback from his customers about food cooling down during delivery, he had bespoke heated plates fitted into his four fully electric delivery vehicles.