How Stitch leveraged consumer insights for a competitive edge in multiple sectors

Objective

Stitch wanted to create three sector-specific consumer insight reports targeting large enterprises in the e-commerce/retail, travel, and insurance sectors in South Africa.

Background

Stitch approached Yazi to develop detailed consumer insight reports aimed at high-income consumers in South Africa who regularly shop online in sectors such as e-commerce/retail (e.g., Shoprite, Mr. Price, Pick n Pay), travel (e.g., Travelstart, Motus, Airbnb), and insurance (e.g., Outsurance, Momentum). The goal was to update previous reports with more specific, current data and to explore open-ended questions to gain deeper insights.

What Stitch Wanted to Find Out

Stitch aimed to understand the shopping habits, preferences, and perceptions of high-income consumers in South Africa. They were particularly interested in:

The reasons behind consumers' online shopping behaviour.

Platforms consumers prefer for shopping, travel, and insurance.

Open-ended feedback on their experiences and expectations.

Methodology

Yazi used its Survey software to conduct four surveys, each targeting a different segment of the high-income consumer market. Each survey included approximately 300 respondents and was completed over one month. It allowed respondents to answer open-ended questions, providing rich qualitative data through text and voice notes.

Results

E-commerce Payment Experience & Payment Anecdotes:

The insights gathered from the surveys revealed significant trends and preferences among high-income consumers, particularly in their payment experiences.

Yazi Method Effectiveness:

• Fast: The data collection was completed quickly, meeting the project's tight timeline efficiently.
• Ability to Collect from Multiple Segments: The survey reached diverse segments, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of different consumer groups.
• Setup Quotas for Even Distribution: Quotas were implemented to ensure that segments were evenly distributed within the sample, leading to balanced and representative data.

The insights gathered from the surveys revealed significant trends and preferences among high-income consumers, particularly in their payment experiences. The Yazi method proved highly effective, delivering the following benefits

Top Insights from the Report:

• E-commerce Growth Across Categories: E-commerce is expanding rapidly across various categories, with adoption seen across different income groups. Adoption is widespread across different income groups, with the average South African spending around 10% of their income online​​.
• Importance of a Fast and Easy Checkout Process: The most critical factor for consumers is a fast and easy checkout process, which influences their loyalty and shopping decisions. When choosing between platforms, three of the six most common reasons cited by consumers were directly related to the payment experience.
• Card Payments Dominance with Emerging Alternatives: Pay by bank and Capitec Pay are increasingly popular among consumers, reflecting a shift towards more efficient and cost-effective payment options. This indicates an openness among South African consumers to adopt new payment methods that meet their evolving needs​

The Yazi method's efficiency and ability to reach a diverse audience quickly, while ensuring evenly distributed segments, provided Stitch with high-quality, actionable insights to inform their strategies and better understand consumer payment experiences.

Impact

The reports generated for Stitch performed exceptionally well, leading to high satisfaction and subsequent projects. The impact of Yazi's work on Stitch can be highlighted in several key areas:

Positive Reception

• LinkedIn Engagement: The LinkedIn post sharing the report received 21 likes, indicating strong engagement from their audience. Thea, Stitch's Head of Marketing, commented, "The reports have been performing super well - really happy with where we landed there."
• Sales Asset: The reports have been used effectively as marketing and sales material. Stitch has marketed these reports through LinkedIn paid ads, demonstrating their value as a powerful sales asset.

Contribution to Revenue

• Sales to Target Clients: The insights from the reports directly contributed to sales efforts, helping Stitch secure business with major enterprises in South Africa, including those in the e-commerce/retail , travel and insurance sectors.
• Authority in the Industry: By leveraging the detailed and insightful data from the reports, Stitch has positioned itself as an authority on payments in South Africa, further strengthening its market presence and credibility.

Strategic Positioning

• ‍Enhanced Credibility: The high-quality data and insights provided by Yazi have bolstered Stitch's credibility, helping them stand out as leaders in the payments industry within the country.

The collaboration with Yazi has not only helped Stitch achieve its immediate research objectives but also played a crucial role in enhancing its market position, driving sales, and establishing authority in the payments industry in South Africa.

The collaboration with Yazi has not only helped Stitch achieve its immediate research objectives but also played a crucial role in enhancing its market position, driving sales, and establishing authority in the payments industry in South Africa.

Summary

Yazi's survey software proved valuable for Stitch, delivering detailed, nuanced insights efficiently and cost-effectively. By leveraging WhatsApp for high engagement and real-time adaptation for relevance, Yazi provided Stitch with the high-quality data needed to inform its strategies and target major enterprises effectively.