By click or cart: Converting omnichannel shoppers

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By click or cart: Converting omnichannel shoppers

4 Jun 2026

Annie Hollon

Annie Hollon is a journalist, copywriter and social media strategist from the Dallas, Texas area. She found a love for magazine writing during her time at the University of Alabama where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts, double majoring in public relations and English. Beyond writing, you can find her expanding her library, attempting to teach herself the guitar and trying new hobbies.

CINCINNATI — Going on a grocery run isn’t a one-size-fits-all formula. For some consumers, walking through the aisles in their local store is a ritual, conducted in a consistent fashion and offering a tangible experience. For others, the convenience of ordering groceries for pickup or delivery makes grabbing pantry essentials as easy or accessible as selecting checkout on a retailer’s app or website. However, these types of shoppers aren’t mutually exclusive. In fact, there’s a rise in omnichannel shoppers, a term used for consumers who dabble with both online and in-store grocery excursions.

New research from Kroger Precision Marketing (KPM) powered by 84.51° delves into the tendencies of omnichannel shoppers, highlighting how this sector of consumers splits purchases between in-store and online retailers. Understanding these habits can inform CPG companies’ strategies on where and how they can best position their products so they’re sure to land in physical and virtual carts.

How grocery shopping divvies out

Over the past 12 months, KPM research noted an uptick in the number of consumers shopping online — 44% stated they’re shopping online more now than in the past year — also revealing that 74% of grocery shopping over the past 12 months still occurs in-store, with pickup/delivery making up the other 26%.

The method shoppers choose also varies on need. For monthly or larger stock-up trips, 56% of respondents indicated a preference for shopping online for delivery or pickup. However, for every other instance — regular and weekly stock-up trips, planned special occasions or holidays, quick fill-in trips, or last-minute urgent needs — in-store is the favored option.

How consumers acquire their groceries may vary, but their brand loyalty persists beyond shopping avenue. According to KPM, 52% of shoppers surveyed mostly buy the same brands both in-store and online, with 29% stating they sometimes buy different brands online vs. in-store.

KPM research noted that bakery is firmly in the high-control category, meaning shoppers are opting to select their baked goods in real life vs. online so they can peruse SKU options, compare product varieties and choose items that best fits their needs.

However, this habit doesn’t denote the importance of a digital presence. In fact, shoppers are integrating online elements into their grocery runs. KPM shared that 39% of shoppers discovered a product online then bought it in-store, and 35% saved a product or offer in an app to remind themselves to buy it in-store later.

Tips to capture carts

There’s plenty for food manufacturers to consider as they strive to get their products into the hands of more shoppers. With more grocery planning and transactions occurring online, it may be worth it for bakery brands to invest in digital marketing efforts.

In-store, endcaps and free-standing display units visually draw attention to products. Strategic placement on shelves can also help in circumstances where shoppers are running into a store to grab an item las- minute, such as in the quick fill-in trip and last-minute urgent need occasions.

But with a growing number of online transactions taking place, laying out essential information in an easy transitional swipe can trigger an “add to cart” moment. For instance, in the image portion of an item listing, highlight key product attributes of importance to prospective buyers, including health claims and standout ingredients. Showing various use cases, such as a baked goods’ versatility from meal to meal, can also make a difference with shoppers. Investing in personalized marketing efforts can also help engage consumers and convert a “save for later” product into a sale.

Whichever way consumers opt to snag their offerings, it’s up to CPG brands to ensure they’re communicating the benefits of what their SKUs have to offer. By diversifying in-store and online positioning and emphasizing on-demand product attributes, baking companies make sure their products are making it home.

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