Retail customer trends point toward Webrooming, research
Consumers may make impulse purchases on a regular basis, but when it comes to desiring a specific item, they're likely to conduct research on the product, as well as the merchandisers that offer it for sale. The latest retail customer trends point toward a need for information, and shoppers are they're willing to obtain it from wherever they can find it.
Looking for convenience
According to Business News Daily, more people are beginning to research goods online and visit brick-and-mortar stores to purchase them, a process known as Webrooming. The source referenced a survey conducted by Merchant Warehouse, which discovered that nearly 75 percent of respondents said they engage in Webrooming because they don't want to pay for shipping or wait for delivery. Over one-third (37 percent) of study participants claimed they enjoyed the option of returning the item in-store, rather than having to ship it back.
Searching for opinions, the experience
Business News Daily acknowledged the consumer desire for a more intimate shopping experience. Sure, they can read product reviews and look at interactive 3D displays of items they're researching, but having a conversation with a sales representative or fellow customer in-store can convey so much more information. For example, a person looking for a laptop may look up different brands online and then go to a specialty retail store offering a particular model to seek expert advice.
Placing confidence in the order
At times, the inability to physically interact with goods can be a deal-breaker. There are some consumers who simply can't be assuaged by a collection of rave reviews posted on a website or detailed product description posted directly below the picture. Roopa Unnikrishnan, a contributor to Quartz, noted that 68 percent of online carts are abandoned, with 25 percent of customers saying they did so because navigating the website was too complicated.
Essentially, purchasing items from a brick-and-mortar store is much more simple. Unnikrishnan wrote that these centers offer solace to those who don't feel like perusing a website for half an hour looking for a specific product. Yet, she recognized the importance of differentiating one store from another. Specialty retailers – such as the hypothetical tech boutique mentioned in the third paragraph – can capitalize on such a strategy by bringing their own specific look and feel to the atmosphere. Taking time to visit an outlet is seen as a social experience, so taking the time to make it unique can work to a shop's advantage.
