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Secrets revealed to the perfect shopping trip

Revealed: The secrets to the perfect north east shopping trip

Survey by intu and mbna reveals the ingredients for the perfect shopping day out

• A three-hour trip around the shops – starting at 10.30 on a Wednesday morning – is perfect for north east shoppers… but they’re eager to make their visit an “experience“

• The perfect shopping day in the north east includes visits to ten different shops, no more than eight minutes queuing and an average spend of £105.

• Social media is a major part of the perfect shopping experience for many modern shoppers, with the ideal trip including updates, posts and pictures

• Savvy shoppers from the north east expect to be rewarded for their spending and loyalty

The perfect north east shopping trip involves trying on or testing six items from ten shops after starting at 10.30 on a Wednesday morning and finishing with a meal out.

To understand what makes the perfect shopping trip, a study was commissioned by intu, owner of intu Eldon Square and intu Metrocentre, and credit card experts MBNA to support the launch of one of the market’s newest retail credit cards – the intu credit card. Shoppers across the north east were quizzed on their preferred shopping habits as part of the national survey.

The ideal trip to the shops in the north east lasts three hours, with a total of six items purchased and no more than eight minutes queuing. The total cost of the day, which includes a refuel break for coffee and cake, ends up costing £105.

Most people in the north east would prefer to be accompanied by their partner, and half said they would make the day out extra special by going for a meal together. Meanwhile, a third will take their chosen shopping partners for a drink, 23 per cent will head to the cinema, and one in 10 will take part in a family-friendly activity such as bowling.

Nearly three-quarters say they’re most likely to shop in places where they can earn rewards for their spending, with 60 per cent looking for retailer discounts, 42 per cent wanting free coffee or cake, and 37 per cent on the hunt for restaurant discounts and offers.

Karen Carr, regional marketing manager, intu north said: “Everyone’s expectations of what makes for a great shopping trip have changed a lot over the last few years, but this research shows that the majority of us in the north east will still leave the house in return for a great day out, a chance to try out items and earn valuable rewards that they can’t get online.

“That’s why we’ve created the intu credit card with MBNA to reward our shoppers with great benefits, offers and discounts on food and drink they can’t get anywhere else.”

Nationally, the survey found that the perfect shopping trip starts at 10.28 on a Saturday morning, involves visiting five shops and ends up costing £118. People in the south east were found to prefer the longest shopping trips and most keen to visit more shops during their trip. Londoners would start the latest, at 11.06am, and were happiest to try on or test the most items, whereas shoppers in the north west prefer to buy the most items.

The study also confirmed the importance of technology and social media as part the overall shopping experience. Shoppers aged between 18 and 44 update social media on average five times during their trip. On top of that, they will send at least one text and one picture to get advice from friends and family before making a purchase. Two in five will also use their mobile to compare prices between shops, and a quarter will go on to buy an item on their smart phone whilst out shopping.

One of the UK’s leading consumer finance experts, TV presenter and founder of moneymagpie.com Jasmine Birtles said: “For many, shopping is not just a job that needs doing but a hobby. People will go on a shopping trip as a fun way to spend a Saturday or a day off work rather than simply because they need to buy something. Shopping is one of the UK’s favourite leisure activities, but shoppers are getting savvier and more demanding as purchasing online now offers them all sorts of attractive retail options. Discounts, loyalty points, freebies and other incentives are all now part of what the British shopper expects when they go out to spend their money.

“They’re also looking for speed and convenience with their transactions so that they can spend more time with the fun stuff like trying on clothes and eating in cafes. A contactless credit card with shopping rewards neatly combines the two, so it’s likely to be very popular with shopping devotees.”

Michael Donald, MBNA’s commercial and payments executive, added: “It’s clear from this research that we’re a nation of sophisticated and savvy shoppers. This is why MBNA, the experts in credit cards and intu the experts in retail, have collaborated to develop a unique proposition – the intu credit card.

“The intu Credit Card is a new breed of reward card that offers a range of benefits whenever customers spend. Cardholders can access exclusive offers with retail and leisure brands in intu centres, from entertainment to leisure and dining, in a way that they want to pay – from contactless to Apple Pay or Android Pay.”

“Bursting with benefits”, the new intu credit card is available for eligible customers over the age of 18 to apply for now.

Representative example 16.9 per cent per annum variable on card purchases. This is the equivalent to 16.9 per cent APR representative variable based on a credit limit of £1,200.

Top 20 things needed to make the perfect modern-day shopping trip:

1. A location where I can shop, eat and socialise in one place
2. Being able to socialise with my friends or family
3. Being able to find my way around easily
4. Being able to use whatever payment method I wish (contactless, Apple Pay, etc.)
5. Being rewarded for my spending with discounts and offers at the place I’m shopping
6. Being rewarded when I spend a certain amount
7. Free parking
8. Ending up with several bags of goodies
9. Finding something I have wanted for ages in the sale
10. Finding somewhere new that I will return to on a future shopping trip
11. Discovering I fit into something a size smaller than I usually wear
12. Getting to the till to buy something and realising it is cheaper than I thought
13. Grabbing a bargain
14. Having simple ways to pay to avoid the queues
15. Loving the first thing I try on
16. Making an unplanned purchase
17. My favourite music being played in the shops
18. Not paying full price for anything
19. Returning to a tried and tested shopping destination
20. Treating myself to something

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Suhaine Baptie .