The purchase size variance between in-store and online shoppers is one of the biggest surprises in the 2020 data so far. It’s intriguing, but not conclusive, that the in-store buying rate of 1 bag (75%) lines up within the margin of error to our previous studies on impulse purchase rates. In those studies of shopping patterns in the U.S. and abroad, the average impulse purchase rate was 72 percent. Numbers like that suggest that the appearance of cherries during a trip through the produce department creates a demand, and essentially 3 out of 4 shoppers who decide to buy cherries grabbed 1 bag and put it in their cart.
“Stocking up” is a trend reported across many grocery categories, but interestingly multiple unit cherry purchases are especially reflected in online cherry buyers. Whether to freeze for later or enjoy in the moment, it appears that thoughtful cherry purchases tend to be larger dollar sales. Our survey showed that forty percent (40%) of online shoppers are buying multiple bags, or nearly 4x more than in-store shoppers.