With increasing competition, retail finds itself at a crossroads in the quest for customer loyalty. The shopping experience, which represents a combination of various factors such as price, stock, and service, has become a decisive factor for the public, directly impacting the profitability of establishments. An Opinion Box study reveals that 81% of consumers are willing to spend more on companies that provide a good shopping experience, reinforcing the importance of investing in this sector.
With this, the concept of shopper has gained prominence as a strategic solution focused on optimizing store and brand performance by promoting customer satisfaction. Defined as people hired for on-demand work, shoppers are responsible for carrying out strategic tasks for retail, such as market audits, price verification, customer satisfaction surveys, stock and gondola organization, and even making purchases in physical stores for orders placed online. From these functions, professionals provide data that allow retailers to adjust processes and improve the management of points of sale.
According to Thales Zanussi, founder and CEO ofMission Brazil, the largest rewarded service platform in the country, shoppers will be responsible for testing a brand's services and products, identifying ways to improve, enhance its perception among consumers, and also facilitate the shopping experience. "Basically, the contractors are responsible for testing the end-to-end purchase journey in order to generate insights about brand perception and competition, as well as providing essential services for retail that facilitate the daily life of the retailer," he explains.
According to the specialist, who leads a brand with over 800,000 registered users and 700,000 completed missions in more than 5,000 Brazilian municipalities, adopting the shopper service provides direct benefits to retail. Based on the performance and the information collected by the professionals, the client can identify consumption trends, correct operational failures, improve customer service, and also perform daily tasks more quickly and efficiently.
"To give an idea of the impact, in 2024, 18,703 shopper missions were carried out on our Mission Brazil platform, addressing calls such as shelf replenishment and organization, stock maintenance, and online order purchases," emphasizes Zanussi. According to him, the data represents a 289% increase compared to the same period of the previous year.
"We are talking about a current market where the shopping experience has become essential to attract and retain customers, so a complete, agile, and quality service makes all the difference in ensuring customer loyalty. In other words, the shopper provides an external perspective on the operation and promotes essential activities for retail, helping to ensure that what is being offered aligns with what the audience expects and desires," he adds.
Among the examples of practical improvements supported by the service, Zanussi highlights attention to accessible product placement for the target audience, improved customer service, reduction of stock rupture effects, as well as the identification of consumer trends and the agility in processing and receiving orders made through apps. "The analysis conducted by shoppers helps brands to quickly adjust their strategies, ensuring a competitive advantage in a sector that increasingly demands personalization and efficiency," concludes the CEO of Mission Brazil.
