The truth is, brick-and-mortar is not dead. It isn’t even dying. In fact, most consumers still prefer shopping at a physical location rather than doing all of their shopping online. This is expected to change in the coming years but it does not change the fact that the traditional stores have an important part to play for a business, even one that is mostly or even completely online.
Brick-and-mortar stores and online stores each offer unique shopping experiences to consumers. So how do they compare and why is it important to provide both for the ultimate retail experience?
Brick and Mortar Versus E-commerce: The Brick-and-Mortar
Touch it, feel it, see it – The biggest advantage brick-and-mortar locations have over online stores is the ability to see, feel and try what the consumer is looking to purchase. This is especially important for things like clothes and accessories as most companies that sell things like men’s suits or women’s dresses classify sizes the same but do not fit the same. There is also something to be said for a product that does not look as good in person as it does in the pictures or a product for which pictures do not do it justice.
Make a day of it – Sometimes, people just want to go out and shop. Go to the mall, or an area of the city with some boutique shops and make a day of it. It is a great activity for families and couples, which would just not be the same by sitting around a computer monitor or tablet and clicking “Buy Now” links.
Credibility – Sometimes, it’s just a matter of having peace of mind. Many consumers simply feel safer knowing that a business has a physical location with real people working there, even if they prefer to purchase products online. The idea of being able to go to a location to return something, scope out inventory, or just meet the person in charge is reassuring.
Live help – While Googling the best men’s briefcase or asking Alexa about the best current phone on the market is great, most consumers would still prefer to speak to a live representative of a company, in person. That kind of personal interaction is and always will be important. It is something an online shopping cart or search result simply cannot provide. At least not yet.
No waiting – Amazon shipping may be fast, but it isn’t instant. Why wait when you can just go to the store and get what you need right there and then? Some people just don’t want to wait for their products. And that’s ok!
Cash up front – Not as many people carry cash on them nowadays, but the only way to buy something with cash is to do it in person. It may not be the norm, but some consumers do prefer to use cash for a variety of reasons.
Brick and Mortar Versus E-commerce: E-commerce
Shop anywhere, any time, from any device – The omni-channel customer experience is old news for e-commerce. Most online stores nowadays already allow their customers access from virtually any device from anywhere in the world. This is the true strength of e-commerce. Why drive when you can click? Why walk and browse when you can sit and browse? It’s convenient, it’s efficient and it allows consumers to quickly purchase what they need and go on with their day.
Pay however you want – The sheer amount of ways to pay for products online is staggering. Yes, physical stores are slowly starting to step it up and offer things like apple pay along with the standard Credit Card/Debit Card methods, it pales in comparison to what even the simplest e-commerce platform can offer. With the rise of cryptocurrency and online wallets, this is becoming more and more important to the average consumer.
Save time – Simply put, an online store does not require the shopper to travel to their store. All it takes is typing in a URL. This is especially important for boutique or small businesses. If a certain store is not located near your shopper, they likely would not make the trip and just go to the competition. Shoppers also do not need to deal with lineups, terrible parking or busy store traffic. Waiting in line for any amount of time is probably one of the worst parts of shopping.
Lineups can get absolutely hectic on busy days in stores and can put a negative spin on an otherwise positive shopping experience. In fact, if a shopper sees a long line up, they may flat out go somewhere else.
International shopping – Never mind not being able to drive to a store. What if the store in question is across a border? Or an ocean? With the same few clicks, you can buy a patio set from IKEA’s website or order a Seiko watch only sold in Japan. It’s convenience that is not possible through traditional brick-and-mortar stores.
Cover more ground in less time – While a shopper may not be able to try on a product while they are shopping online, they can certainly see more products in a shorter amount of time. Advanced search and suggested products optimize the shopping experience further by instantly showing a shopper popular products paired with other products which create a great opportunity for upselling.
Brick and Mortar Versus E-commerce: Creating an Omni-Channel business for the best retail experience
Comparing brick and mortar versus e-commerce by looking at the 2 lists above, they just scratch the surface for what a business can offer its customers online vs at a brick-and-mortar location. It’s easy to see that the physical and online experience are quite different. And while it may seem obvious, every business should strive to create the ultimate retail experience for its shoppers by fully tapping into omni-channel shopping and marketing. To do this, it is essential for a business of any size to have both a physical location and an online store.
Yes, this increases costs, especially if your store is strictly online as it adds considerable overhead costs. But what you create in return is a complete shopping experience for consumers. This will, in turn, help your business operate in a more efficient manner and help you understand your market and your customers.
By combining the advanced analytics for brick and mortar versus e-commerce with collected by your online store and the real-life data gathered at your physical location through customer interaction, you can maximize sales while providing the flexibility that shoppers today are looking for when they are committing to a brand.
By allowing consumers to shop how they want, when they want, you give your business the biggest chance to succeed. By limiting your business to only online sales or sales through a traditional store, you are effectively eliminating a large number of potential sales. In Brick and Mortar Versus E-commerce, Omni-channel business models are the way forward. Don’t be left behind.
Brick and Mortar Versus E-commerce: How can we help?
Brick and Mortar Versus E-commerce: We can upgrade your current online store or work with you to create a new one. Sign up for our Managed E-commerce Service and create your new online store risk-free with no commitment. If you already have an online store, request a free performance test for an in-depth analysis of its’ strengths and weaknesses.
We use Magento 2, X-Cart or WooCommerce e-commerce systems for new store deployments and re-platforming as well as state of the art Rackspace or Google Cloud data centers for hosting that serves 60% of Fortune 500 companies worldwide. Our account managers are knowledgeable and innovative, our support engineers and developers are outstanding, and customer satisfaction is second to none.
If you are interested in Magento 2, check out our Small Business E-Commerce Starter Package. This package is tailored towards small businesses to provide a feature-rich e-commerce experience without the steep startup costs. The package includes deployment of Magento 2, a modern design for the store, a number of essential extensions, 24/7 support and top of the line Cloud-based hosting using Rackspace Cloud and Google Cloud data centers around the world.
Avoid making these mistakes:
- Losing business to your competitors
- Having low ROI on advertising
- Using an outdated system
- Being downgraded by Google
- Suffering from low sales
- Ignoring eCommerce Store Optimization
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