Progressive retailers are responding with efforts to attract shoppers not just at holiday time, but throughout the year. The graph on page two shows which are most popular, and compares responses with a similar survey conducted in 1993. Going in person to a store is still the most popular way to shop. Despite the steady inroads made by mail order, 1-800 marketing, cable TV shopping channels, and the predicted growth of Internet commerce, retail stores are alive and well. The biggest jump over the past four years is in the number of people buying store brands.
Discount stores top the list as the most frequently used retail channel.
Just because more people are shopping at discount stores doesn't mean they no longer shop at other kinds of retail outlets. Our survey shows no decline in the percentage who say they shop at convenience and specialty stores. This suggests that people are shopping at more places than in the past. Value-seeking shoppers are becoming more discriminating. Different shopping channels appeal to different kinds of people.