Online shopping is growing much faster than the brick-and-mortar industry, but it may not be kicking the latter out of business. Back in 2014, Seventy-five per cent of shoppers purchased items online during the first quarter itself.
Customer Craves Both
Online-only shopping has grown at a much faster rate than any other sector, and brick-and-mortar stores have to offer something different to attract customers. Consumers often have different reasons for shopping online versus in-store. Business owners can find success by designing a channel strategy that aligns with their customer’s needs, regardless of where they have shopped before.
Retail options and prices vary.
Some customers may prefer to buy their products in person, while others like the convenience of shopping online. Additional considerations such as cost, product availability, and comfort should also be taken into account. Although people buy many different items online, they are more likely to purchase well-known, branded products and know what the quality will be before committing.
However, if the item they seek is not familiar to them, they will buy it in person. The reason is that an unfamiliar item will need to be returned if bought without feeling it first. Small business owners can strategically price and promote products in each channel to keep up with this reality.
A branded product that consumers have bought before may be better priced online-only, offered at a lower price point than available in-store. The products that are new or proprietary to a store may justify the expense of storefront real estate and inventory if they’re only sold in stores, without deep discounts.
Read More: Tips On Saving Money In Department Stores
Different Effort, Same Expectations
People who shop in person are often willing to make sacrifices that online shoppers are not, are time and effort to travel to a store, and the energy required for interaction. It is vital to note that many people will choose shopping in person because of return policies or quality control.
In-store shopping is often more convenient because you can get help from a personal shopper or change your mind about what you need. Though you risk not purchasing an item in stock or finding a better price at another store, many customers still gravitate toward shopping in person because of some perceived value it offers.
It is common for customers to purchase items online because it requires less effort than finding the desired item in-store. Some customer expectations are higher when buying online, such as choosing from various items, transparency with inventory levels, and researching prices and reviews together.
Retailers should choose the appropriate channel based on customer expectations and target market. For example, physical retail stores are faced with the challenge of dealing personally with customers. They should train staff to give customer-facing interactions a hands-on experience while websites like Amazon have the opposite experience of delivering their selection quickly.
The emotional payoff
People have many different reasons for shopping, but the emotional connection is still an important draw. Shopping may offer an opportunity to spend time with friends or enjoy exploring a new physical appearance and surrounding oneself with the company. Despite the widespread appeal of online shopping, shoppers still enjoy some aspects of In- store Shopping.
Of the respondents who took a study, 80 out of 100 said that getting what they wanted instantly was a key benefit, while 75% cited human connection as their reason for why they shopped at brick and mortar locations.
Consumers buy both online and in-store for different reasons. Merchants should use this to their advantage by tailoring each store’s marketing messages and aesthetics, as well as adjusting their brand voice where necessary.
Read More: A Complete Guide to Buying Baby Clothes
Conclusion
So, Online shopping and in-person shoppers are different—but the one isn’t necessarily better for consumers or merchants. Each online and in-store channel holds a certain unique value that should be considered when thinking about the product mix, price points, channels of sale, and customer profiles.
