Shoppers are returning to brick-and-mortar grocery stores, but they’re not giving up e-commerce entirely. Consumers settling into new post-COVID habits are exercising their options, from in-store shopping to pickup and delivery, according to a report from 84.51°, a retail data science company and Kroger Co. subsidiary.

“We are seeing the hybrid shopper really get cemented into the retail landscape,” said Barbara Connors, vice president of commercial insights at 84.51°. “That’s something that is here to stay.”

The number of households using two shopping modalities increased 97% in the second quarter of 2020, and the number using three modalities increased 62%, according to the report. Those numbers are expected to remain elevated as consumers continue to value the online shopping experience while also seeking the benefits of browsing in-store.

To win in this omnichannel world, the grocery industry should focus on breaking down the silos it has built across different commerce modalities, Ms. Connors said.

“Brands and retailers need to stop thinking about the modalities as different experiences or different pillars,” she said. “Many in the industry still think about having a traditional merchandising and then a separate e-commerce strategy, and many have separate teams. You have to have those teams talk to each other, because it's the same customer that is shopping across modalities.”

Brands and retailers are more inclined to see the differences between modalities than shoppers, she added.

Click here to read the full article.