Driven by inflation, consumers' shopping habits have changed and prices and product ranges are under close scrutiny. For retailers, price and offer communication is therefore perhaps more important than ever - and in an intelligent, balanced media mix to reach the right target group. Digital platforms are also becoming increasingly relevant in this context.
In recent months, WhatsApp has experienced a sharp rise in popularity among advertising retailers. As reported by Lebensmittelzeitung, large, well-known retailers such as Rewe, Aldi, Kaufland and Toom are using their own chat channels in the messenger app to send out weekly digital versions of their leaflets.
But what do consumers want? Our new ChannelUp study together with IFH MEDIA ANALYTICS shows that WhatsApp is currently behind websites (65%), retailer apps, leaflet apps and websites (59%) and newsletters (54%) in terms of digital channel usage at 23 per cent.
Compared to other, more established channels of offer communication, WhatsApp is new to the field and therefore does not yet enjoy a particularly high level of credibility. One in two people currently view social media and WhatsApp with scepticism. Moreover, if digital leaflets are sent via WhatsApp more than once a week, recipients find this annoying. This is mainly due to the fact that consumers currently use this channel primarily for private communication. However, according to Andreas Riekötter, Managing Director of IFH MEDIA ANALYTICS, this could change quickly with digital trends. WhatsApp in particular is increasingly gaining new consumers who accept and use the messenger app as an information channel for communicating offers.
It is therefore clear that WhatsApp is already a useful addition to traditional, analogue channels of offer communication, as around two thirds of those who use leaflets via WhatsApp use them in addition to print leaflets or leaflet apps and only from their favourite retailer or on selected topics with high involvement. Jens Schwendicke, Director Account Management Cross Media, is certain: "Although the overall user figures still have potential for development, they are already showing a steadily increasing growth curve." The Lebensmittelzeitung is also convinced that the trend towards digital offer communication will continue to grow.