For more than three decades, Frontline Research Group (FRG) has been conducting in-depth market research within the retail industry across Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia. Operating in some of the world’s most dynamic and complex retail environments, FRG has seen first-hand how deeply understanding shopper behaviour can transform marketing effectiveness, commercial strategy and long term growth.
This two-part series explores shopper research and its critical role in shaping successful go-to-market strategies. In this first article, we focus on how a clear understanding of shopper behaviour enables companies to build smarter, more effective marketing strategies that deliver measurable results at the point of purchase.
Why Shopper Behaviour Matters
Shoppers ultimately decide what gets bought, when it gets bought, and where it gets bought. Yet in many markets, particularly traditional trade and emerging economies, shopper behaviour is often assumed rather than measured. Robust shopper research closes this gap, allowing brands and manufacturers to align their marketing strategies with real-world decision-making in-store and at outlet level.
When shopper insights are embedded into strategy, they drive improvement across the entire value chain.
Ten Ways Shopper Research Improves Marketing Strategy
- Getting your product within reach of as many potential buyers as possible
Shopper research highlights where shoppers actually shop, not where brands assume they do. This ensures distribution strategies maximise physical availability and reduce lost sales due to poor reach. - Getting the right product to each market efficiently and profitably
Different markets have different needs, price sensitivities and consumption patterns. Shopper insights guide smarter SKU selection, pack sizes and pricing strategies, improving both relevance and profitability. - A channel architecture that unlocks growth opportunities
Understanding how shoppers use different channels, formal, informal, wholesale or hybrid, allows companies to design channel strategies that support growth rather than create internal competition or inefficiencies. - Customer relationships based on mutual business development
Retailers value partners who understand their shoppers. Shopper research enables brands to collaborate with customers on joint growth opportunities, strengthening long-term relationships built on shared commercial success. - Service operations that fit the customer’s business process
From delivery frequency to order size and merchandising support, shopper-driven insights help tailor service models that align with how retailers operate day to day. - Sales and service employees focused on growth-enhancing activities
With clear shopper priorities, sales teams can focus on actions that drive real value, improving availability, assortment and execution, rather than spending time on low- impact tasks. - Assortment targeted to the outlet’s customer profile and shopper segments
Not all outlets serve the same shoppers. Shopper research enables precise assortment planning that reflects local shopper profiles, increasing relevance and conversion at store level. - Getting your fair share of position, display and exposure
Shopper insights strengthen negotiations around shelf space, visibility and display by demonstrating how improved exposure benefits both brand and retailer. - Merchandising and activations geared to shopper needs and consumption occasions
Effective promotions are shopper-led, not brand-led. Understanding missions, triggers and occasions ensures merchandising and activations resonate with shoppers and drive incremental sales. - Providing a superior purchasing and service experience
Ultimately, shopper research helps brands remove friction from the buying process, making it easier, faster and more rewarding for shoppers to choose their products.
Turning Insight into Competitive Advantage
In developing economies and traditional trade environments, where complexity is high and standard data sources are often limited, shopper research becomes a powerful competitive advantage. By grounding marketing strategy in real shopper behaviour, companies move from assumption-based decision-making to insight-led execution.
In Part Two of this series, Frontline Research Group will explain their suite of Shopper research products that are available to FMCG companies.
For more information contact Jack De Wet, Divisional Manager, on +27 (0)86 999 0407 or mobile +27 (0)78 422 9479 or email jack.dewet@frontlineresearchgroup.com
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