Shoppers’ Motivations: Americans are shopping more. Price,...

Shoppers’ Motivations: Americans are shopping more. Price, which had been the most significant factor in shopping since 1992, is no longer the primary motivator, a study by a retail consultant shows. Convenience--location and ease of shopping--is now the leading reason consumers select a particular store, said Wendy Liebmann, president of New York-based WSL Strategic Retail. “We hear that people are not shopping, that they’re dissatisfied. They are, in fact, shopping and buying more than a year ago,” she said. “But they’ve become smarter shoppers, looking for value. Price isn’t enough.” Consumers are shopping more because there are generally good prices everywhere, not just at so-called discount stores. In addition, the economy, which in the early 1990s put a squeeze on many a pocketbook, has generally improved, freeing up cash. Price was second among consumers (36%) to convenience (44%) as the primary motivator in the survey conducted last fall of 600 U.S. consumers.