Hispanics Strongly Favor Grocery e-Commerce

Whether they’re deciding what to buy or making the transaction itself, Hispanic shoppers are proving to be more involved online than their non-Hispanic counterparts when grocery shopping, according to the latest HispanicLink study from Chicago-based market researcher IRI.

Hispanics tend to shop online more than non-Hispanics in several critical categories, including cosmetics, fragrances and beauty, and general household goods. In the United States, six segments of e-commerce shoppers exist, defined by their attitudes and behaviors regarding the activity: e-shopping enthusiasts, variety seekers, review seekers, selective e-shoppers, e-shopping resistors and e-shopping avoiders. With Hispanics, shoppers are disproportionately prominent in the first and third segments, some of the most active in online shopping.

Additionally, Hispanic shoppers plan to increase their online purchases of grocery products from large retailers at a significantly faster pace than non-Hispanics; at Amazon, for instance, the increase is projected to be above 40 percent. Spanish-preferring Hispanics are more resistant to doing so, however. Additionally, Hispanics, especially those who are bilingual, are more likely to make comparisons across retailers when buying groceries online.

Convenience is a key reason for this interest in online shopping, as Hispanics are significantly more likely than non-Hispanics to find online shopping not only easy, but also more convenient than grocery shopping at a physical store. Because of this convenience factor, Hispanics also are more likely to seek retailers that offer such multichannel options as click-and-collect.

In terms of influencers, Hispanics are significantly more influenced than non-Hispanics by social media and blogs. When buying beauty/skin care products, for instance, 33 percent read a favorite blog, and the same number got information from social media.