Though a relatively young field, shopper marketing has quickly developed a dense lexicon.

What Constitutes a Shopper’s Mission?

At its core, a shopper’s mission can be viewed as the main goal or set of goals that a shopper seeks to accomplish during a particular shopping trip. This concept includes both consumer needs (items intended for consumption) and shopper needs (the wider context of the shopping experience).

For instance, if a shopper heads to a supermarket to buy ingredients for dinner, the need is clear: ingredients for a meal. However, this mission might also include additional shopper needs, such as adhering to a budget, completing the shopping quickly, or selecting items that cater to dietary restrictions. In this scenario, the shopper’s mission is multifaceted, combining immediate consumption requirements with broader logistical or personal considerations.

A shopper’s mission may also encompass multiple consumption needs, which can complicate the process further. For instance, while purchasing ingredients for dinner, a shopper might also acquire snacks for a weekend gathering or medicine from a pharmacy. Each added need introduces layers to the mission, influencing where the shopper chooses to go and what they prioritise in their purchases.

The Absence of a Clear Consumption Need

Not all shopping trips are driven by clear consumption needs. There are instances where the motivation to shop is not linked to an immediate or specific need for a product. For example, consider a traveller browsing a duty-free store during a layover, with no particular item in mind for future consumption. This scenario exemplifies a shopping occasion, where the act of shopping is motivated more by situational factors than by a predefined mission.

Social shopping occasions offer another example. When friends visit a mall mainly to spend time together, their journey is motivated by the desire to socialise rather than to purchase specific items. In these instances, the shopping occasion is defined by an emphasis on the experience itself, such as passing the time, enjoying each other’s company, or exploring new products instead of meeting a particular consumption need.

Marketers' Response to Shopper Insights

Understanding whether a shopper's trip is driven by a mission or an occasion is crucial for effective marketing strategies. When addressing a shopper’s mission, marketers can concentrate on clearly identifying and fulfilling both consumption and shopper needs. For instance, a grocery store might offer meal kits that simplify the process of purchasing dinner ingredients, thereby meeting the shopper’s need for convenience and the consumer’s need for a meal.

In instances where there is a trade-off between consumer and shopper needs, marketers must prioritise which needs to address in order to maximise satisfaction and drive purchases. For example, if a shopper values quick and easy shopping, stores can enhance the experience with streamlined layouts and efficient checkout processes.

Conversely, marketing to shoppers during occasions without a specific consumption need requires a different approach. In this context, the aim is to create or highlight latent needs and offer immediate opportunities to fulfil them. For example, positioning a sign above the Champagne section in an airport duty-free store that reads, “Christmas isn’t complete without Champagne,” can prompt travellers to think about the upcoming festive season and consider purchasing Champagne.

The Unique Nature of Each Shopper Trip

Ultimately, every shopper and shopping trip is unique. Whether motivated by a specific shopper mission or a particular shopping occasion, there is always an opportunity for a purchase. The key for marketers is to understand the type of trip being targeted and what the shopper aims to achieve. By doing so, they can tailor their strategies to meet both immediate and underlying needs, ensuring that their offerings resonate with shoppers and lead to successful conversions.

Understanding these dynamics helps craft more effective marketing strategies and create better shopping experiences that cater to consumers' varied and evolving needs.

J.J. Thompson