As Purchase Planning Weakens, Pre-Trip Communication Should Strengthen
Pre-trip communication in Travel Retail has traditionally been associated with driving purchase intent and encouraging shoppers to plan before they travel. And in many cases, it continues to play exactly that role.
However, as levels of purchase planning continue to decline (a shift that accelerated during Covid and has continued to soften year on year) the role of pre-trip communication also needs to evolve.
Increasingly, purchase decisions are being made in the store. The traditional grab-and-go mission still exists, but greater emphasis on brand storytelling, immersive experiences, exclusives and differentiated product ranges is encouraging travellers to browse, explore and discover something new.
But this creates another challenge. There is now so much to communicate that shoppers can quickly become overwhelmed. With limited time in-store, every moment spent understanding the basics, such as what a product is, why it’s different, what the brand stands for, is time that could instead be spent discovering, engaging and having more meaningful interactions with the brand.
And this is where pre-trip communication has an increasingly important role to play. It shouldn’t simply be about converting an impulsive shopper into a planned one, it should also be considered a key tool for helping shoppers arrive informed, but still open to influence.
Build awareness. Introduce the brand. Communicate the fundamentals. Create curiosity. Then allow the store to do what Travel Retail does best and inspire discovery, encourage exploration and ultimately convert that interest into purchase.
We explore this evolving role of pre-trip communication in more detail with TR Unblocked (many thanks again to Peter Marshall for the opportunity here) – please find the link below!