Retail store operations could see a loss in sales if online sellers offer discounts. Consumers are more drawn to these types of deals and could possibly forego an in-store purchase in favor of an ecommerce one.

A recent study by GroupM Next found that almost half of consumers – 45 percent – who visit a retail store would instead purchase an item online if a discount of 2.5 percent of more was offered by the retail site. As these discount amounts increase, the more likely a shopper will leave the physical location and buy the item online. If a 5 percent discount is provided on a website, the number of consumers willing to leave the store jumps to 60 percent.

"Consumers have shifted their path to purchase to include the store as a step but not necessarily the final step, and this will likely continue to increase over time," said GroupM Next CEO Chris Copeland. "Brands that sit on either side, be it as the physical store or the online merchant, have multiple opportunities with this consumer change."

Discounts offered in retail stores helped to boost sales in July, reports Reuters. Consumer purchases made at brick-and-mortar locations increased by 4.6 percent throughout the month.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Friday, August 24th, 2012 at 2:06 am .