A new national survey from VTEX, composable commerce platform provider, finds that 71 percent of consumers have shopped online for groceries, with 50 percent purchasing groceries online at least once a month. However, many shoppers are holding back from deeper digital engagement due to persistent friction in the experience.
The findings reveal insights for grocers looking to scale e-commerce: shoppers prefer to buy from a grocer’s owned digital channels (52 percent), expect loyalty programs to be accessible via mobile apps (45 percent) and want personalization that reflects their household needs (65 percent). Yet fees, poor visibility and lack of control over fresh product selection remain top deterrents.
“The modern grocery shopper expects the same ease, clarity and control online that they’ve always experienced in-store,” said Daniela Jurado, EVP of North America at VTEX. “The challenge, and opportunity, for grocers is to eliminate friction without adding operational complexity. That’s exactly what unified commerce makes possible.”
Key findings include:
- Consumers trust grocers’ digital channels over third parties: 52 percent shop through the grocers’ own apps or websites, compared to 27 percent using national delivery apps.
- Shoppers are already digital, just not fully converted: 69 percent of respondents shop online for groceries at least occasionally, and 30 percent do up to a quarter of all grocery shopping online.
- Price and fees remain major deterrents: 54 percent cite service fees as a major deterrent, and 49 percent are discouraged by unexpected costs at checkout.
- Loyalty lives online: 79 percent of shoppers use loyalty or rewards programs, and nearly half prefer digital versions.
- Personalization is expected: 65 percent are interested in personalized online grocery experiences based on their needs or history.
Today’s grocery shopper expects a digital experience that matches the clarity and trust they’ve long associated with physical stores. From branded content to personalized product recommendations and seamless loyalty integration, shoppers want their digital carts to feel like their neighborhood store.
Retailers like H Mart, which migrated to VTEX’s commerce platform to unify operations across product categories and fulfillment locations, are showing what’s possible when grocers take control of the customer experience.
“Grocers can’t afford to treat e-commerce as an add-on,” Jurado said. “When consumers prefer your website over third-party marketplace apps and want a more personalized journey, that’s your opportunity to own the experience. Unified commerce is how you deliver it at scale and without complexity.”
Survey methodology
This survey was commissioned by VTEX and conducted by Dynata in July. It gathered responses from 1,000 U.S. adults ages 18 and older to evaluate attitudes, behaviors and friction points related to online grocery shopping.