Retailers Still Value In-Store Shopping

Good news for brick-and-mortar retailers, though much attention has been given to the rapid acceleration of ecommerce driven by the onset of the pandemic, consumers are still seeking the in-store experience.

According to eMarketer, while ecommerce spending in the U.S. was predicted at 18% growth YoY netting out at $933 billion, that figure is still just 15 percent of total retail sales. In fact, this year brick-and-mortar retail spending is on track for 6% growth-the strongest growth rate in a decade.

While online shopping provides convenience, many consumers still prefer the in-store experience. A report from Raydiant, “State of the In-store Experience” states 48% of respondents prefer to shop in-person at a physical store when given the choice.  Of those who prefer in-person shopping, the number one reason was simply that they enjoy the experience of shopping in person.  The other reasons why consumers prefer to shop in person are they want to interact with products before spending money (24%) and they do not want to pay shipping fees (13.2%).

Eighty-four percent of the respondents in the study said a positive in-location experience makes them more likely to return, and 64% said it makes them more likely to spend more at their visit. The three defining factors of a customer’s in-store experience are the quality of customer service (31.5% of respondents said this was the most important consideration), the variety, quality, and availability of products (29.8%), and store layout and physical arrangement of products (19.8%)

The findings in the report conclude that while brick-and-mortar retail will continue to evolve, retailers that are focused on creating positive in-store experiences are positioned to thrive.  Ensuring great customer service is critical to earning repeat business and will set your store up for continued growth.