Sign in now
Logout
|
You are signed in as guest Sign in now Logout |
 |
Plain Talk
|
||||
|
7 Reasons Why In-Store Shopping Will Never Die
From The Buxton Co. Yes, yes, I know. The retail landscape is shifting, and as our world becomes more digital, so does our shopping experience. Many have predicted the death of brick and mortar stores and the rise of e-commerce as online sales have progressively taken over a larger portion of total retail sales. However, even as e-commerce and mobile commerce continue to experience a meteoric rise in popularity, brick and mortar storefronts will continue to be a staple of retailers. Now, I’m not saying that retailers should not have a strong omni-channel strategy and focus on building their online and mobile presence. I’m merely saying that even as brick and mortar stores adapt to changing times, they will never go away – the reasons for which are simple, and are summed up perfectly on the Business 2 Community blog written by author Libra White. The 7 reasons are: 1. Shopping is a visceral experience: people like to smell and touch the things they buy – whether that’s a sweater or a bottle of perfume, the experience is obviously much better in person, in a store. 2. Socialization: shopping has always been a social experience, and will continue to be. Shopping is about spending time with friends or family and asking opinions about how something looks before buying it. 3. The mall workout: for those of us who hate going to the gym, walking through a mall and trying on clothes is an excellent way to burn calories – just look at all the steps you rack up on your Fitbit. And laying on your couch while shopping online isn’t helping you get into better shape. 4. No shipping frustration: yes, sometimes shopping online can be less expensive than a traditional store, but the majority of the time once you add in extra costs of shopping (standard, express, overnight), your online deal isn’t so great – especially if bad weather hits, and your package is delayed an extra week or two. 5. No product disappointment: it’s all happened to us – we’ve ordered something online and when the package finally arrives, the clothes don’t fit, it’s the wrong color, or it looks nothing like the pictures. But when you go to the store, you know exactly how something fits – or doesn’t fit – and exactly what you’re getting. 6. You can use your favorite shopping apps: even though your laptop is at home, you still have access to the tiny, little computer that is your smartphone – meaning you can still leverage technology through various shopping apps to find the best deals. 7. Instant gratification: shipping something you bought online can take days to weeks before it finally gets to you. If you go to a store, you can get the product immediately. And besides, there’s something so different about the feelings you experience carrying the pair of shoes you just bought from the store than the feelings you get from clicking the purchase button on the online shoe site. So even though times are changing, and despite the never-ending buzz around e-commerce, online shopping still just makes up 5% of retail in the U.S., while brick and mortar stores hold the other 95%. I guess that means brick and mortar stores are here to stay.
|
