Client: Sweetbay

Industry: Business to Consumer (B2C)

Challenge: Sweetbay Supermarkets needed insight into shopping patterns that had been observed within a specific market area adjacent to a new store. It had become apparent to Sweetbay management, that this store was underperforming against early expectations related to store traffic and sales volume.

Solution: To supplement the observed in-store trends, and provide potential rationale for the lack of trial, HCP worked in conjunction with Sweetbay management to design a primary study. This study would be distributed to grocery shoppers within the immediate residential areas of the store.

The goals of our research was to better define the Sweetbay shopper, and characteristics of shoppers at competing stores in this market area; measure satisfaction among shoppers for various dimensions; and identify strengths and weaknesses held by shoppers for Sweetbay versus strengths and weaknesses reported of competing grocers.

In order to expedite the response time and minimize cost, HCP launched the study as an online effort, with a postcard mailing inviting random residents within a defined region of known Sweetbay shoppers and shoppers to competing stores.

Results were monitored and reported by HCP. Feedback received and recommendations made will be used by Sweetbay management in considering outreach efforts in 2010 as well as internal modifications to the specific Sweetbay location studied.