Why Bricks-and-Mortar stores are one of your biggest assets

With all the talk about online shopping you could easily be mistaken for thinking the demise of bricks and mortar stores has begun.

In fact, bricks and mortar stores are still the dominant retailing channel and it doesn’t look like changing anytime soon.

Though online shopping has added a great level of convenience for many shoppers, the physical store is a highly sought after experience with the emphasis being on experience.

“Going shopping”, is considered a social activity for many. That experience of walking through the shopping centre or strip shops browsing through the window, maybe not looking for anything specific but responding to anything that catches your eye, is a great pastime for many, myself included.

That ability to touch and feel the products at your own pace may be the reason why 74% of shoppers say it is important for brands to have a physical location.

Walking into a shop and being able to ask a question of the staff rather than finding the answer out for yourself is a great advantage to shoppers but also helps give retailers a first-hand understanding of their customers’ needs.

63% of Australian shoppers believe the service they get in store is more personal than online. That personal connection is a great advantage of physical stores. It allows retailers to bring their brands to life through a human connection.

If you have an online store presence, your bricks-and-mortar stores can help boost your online traffic and sales. A positive instore experience is a great incentive to investigate a store’s online sales channel to either research product before shopping again instore or simply to purchase online.

In fact, 18% of online-only retailers are planning to establish a physical outlet to tap into where the vast majority of shoppers are spending their money.

With more sales channels available than ever to retailers, the focus must be to integrate all channels, including online and bricks-and-mortar. Both channels can work in harmony to help you grow your retail business.

Take a look at our latest infographic that shows why bricks-and-mortar stores are still one of your biggest retail assets.