The digital age has forever changed the way consumers purchase products and services. Even though it would seem that we, as consumers, are living in an age where the digital space seems to dominate the shopping process, the internet is not the sole source of consumer and retail goods.
So it would seem that the brick-and-mortar store is on its way out? Not so fast…physical stores still remain a strong foundation of retailing with 90% of all retail sales transactions occurring in the store and 95% of all retail sales occurring with retailers that have an actual brick-and-mortar presence. However, retail stores must focus on delivering a unique and relevant customer experience to stay competitive within this digital age. Stores are the foundation on which to build an omni-channel strategy and drive significant value to the actual shopping journey beyond just sales; the in-store experience influences both e-commerce and m-commerce.
A.T. Kearney found 55 percent of consumers prefer to use both stores and online throughout the stages of the entire shopping journey (discovery, trial, purchase, pickup and return).
In each of these phases, research pointed to consumers preferring to use the physical store.
Perficient’s Consumer Markets practice has a team of industry experts that will explore how brands can use digital to their advantage and drive store traffic and sales in our newest webinar: Driving Store Traffic in the Digital Age.
Here are a few things you can learn:
- Share intelligence about retailers’s and manufacturers customers to optimize the in-store experience and drive foot traffic
- Physical stores crucial role in digital purchases
- Importance of combining physical and digital experiences in an omni-channel strategy
Click HERE for more information and to register TODAY!
Source: http://www.retailwire.com/discussion/17675/physical-stores-dominate-path-to-purchase
