M1nd-set have compiled some data on whether travellers research duty free before they fly. In figures compiled from over 4,000 interviews with travellers, it turns out that over 50% of Chinese travellers will research their potential duty free purchases before they fly and that more than half will also use the airport’s WiFi to check prices.
Here’s some key notes from the data:
- Half of Chinese travellers will research duty free purchases before even getting to the airport (global average is only 27%).
- 39% of Latin American travellers will research duty free.
- Global satisfaction with duty free rose by 1%.
- 37% find duty free a good place to find gifts.
- 26% find it a good place for new brands and 23% think it’s good for finding exclusive products.
Owner & CEO Peter Mohn commented: “While brands stand to gain from the increased sales outlets and the ease for Chinese travellers to purchase in their home country on arrival, retailers outside China will be showing concern for the potential lost business if Chinese travellers shift their purchasing decisions to the arrivals shops back home. We see that it will be increasingly vital for retailers to provide a different shopping experience to woo the Chinese traveller. This will mean brands and retailers will need to work closer than ever together on providing location specific travel retail exclusives and an improved, more unique shopping experience in order to retain the Chinese traveller spend in the duty free shops outside China.”
