Brick-and-mortar retail locations are not dead ends. They should be seen as a part of a larger brand journey for customers. The function of physical retail is not only to move inventory—it's also for customers to feel, socialize, and immerse themselves in a brand experience. While online shopping in a digital age is still crucial to the retail industry, physical stores shouldn't be just a formality.
According to Capital One Shopping Research, 64% of Americans shop in person on a weekly basis, and 81.5% of U.S. retail sales still happen in brick-and-mortar locations. In an age where technology touches nearly every part of our lives, the natural focus is on digital channels. In-store experiences, however, offer what online shopping can't—atmosphere, immediacy, and instant emotional payoff. Depending on mood, urgency, product type, and cost, customers are both using digital shopping channels as well as participating in physical store experiences.
The Definition of Convenience is Changing
Online shopping promises the ability to shop anywhere, avoid crowds and lines, and compare items easily. Especially in a time where in-person experiences were hard to come by, the delivery of products to customers' front doors was an unbeatable retail experience for the pandemic era. Though that was years ago, it set the ball rolling for recent retail industry shifts.
However, this promise of convenience has now become more complicated. Between rising shipping costs, unreliable shipping windows, and of course, the hassle of online returns, convenience in retail experiences is no longer as simple as digital offerings. Other e-commerce considerations include tariffs and supply chain issues—pain points that brands have little to no control over.
In-person retail, on the other hand, is convenient because of its certainty. Seeing a product in person, holding it, perhaps trying it on, all deliver an experience that feels very real to the consumer. Customers don't have to deal with additional fees for shipping, which is one of the top reasons for online cart abandonment. Ease in retail experiences is now about customers having control over how they make a purchase. This freedom to choose between online and in-person shopping represents true convenience. However, these digital and in-person experiences must work together in order for customers to have a true choice between channels.
Instant Gratification is Emotional, But Also Functional
Online shopping is a process of delayed gratification. Emotional payoff is delayed, as customers research, order, track shipping, and then finally unbox their new products. On the other hand, making a purchase at a store feels like an event, outing, or reward—it offers an immediate payoff emotionally. Often, in-store shopping is an immediate decision, offering an experience that's more condensed and influenced by a retail environment. Discovery, decision, purchase, and ownership happen in a much smaller window compared to an e-commerce experience.
Retailers should consciously design stores to create an emotional customer experience that plays into discovery opportunities. Purposeful lighting, music, checkout flow, dressing rooms, and employee behavior are all crucial factors of in-store experiences. Pop-ups, demos, cafes, interactive displays, and community events are all examples of what retailers are doing to get customers through the door. Athletic brands hosting workouts or run clubs, beauty brands holding shade matching events, or apparel brands offering in-store tailoring or personalization are creative methods for immersing customers into a brand's world.
The Modern Retail Journey May Start Online, But It Often Doesn't End There
86% of shoppers begin a retail journey by researching a product online, even if they end up making the purchase in-store, according to Capital One Shopping Research. The new omnichannel retail journey starts with researching online reviews and using the internet for discovery and product research. Then, customers can come into a store, informed on the location's offerings and ready to try something on and complete a purchase. Customers can check store inventory prior to their visit and compare products online before coming in to see if they want to make a purchase.
However, crucial to this process is ensuring the experience is an omnichannel opportunity. Accurate inventory, good digital user experience, seamless store pickup, easy returns, and knowledgeable employees are all important pieces of this omnichannel puzzle. According to CCW Digital research, only 18% of customers today feel that experiences are consistent across diverse channels, underscoring the importance of companies' focus on reliable omnichannel experiences.
Meeting Customers Where They Want to Be Met
A smooth omnichannel retail experience doesn't equate to the experience being available everywhere. Rather, these experiences need to be consistent, connected, and intuitive to the consumer. Customers want to engage with brands on their terms—they want the freedom to do online research, check store inventory on a mobile app, ask questions in-store, compare prices, browse without pressure, and return items easily if needed. Alternatively, they may also want the instant gratification of going to the mall and making an impulsive purchase. Ultimately, it should be the customer's choice. Presenting online and in-person retail experiences to the customer equally gives them the choice of channel, and the statistics tell us it's both, just at different times.