As more and more consumers check out a product in the store before returning home to buy it online, retailers are searching for a way to stop this trend.
A recent survey, cited in an article on Marketing Magazine’s website, found that two-thirds of Australian shoppers treat the store like a “showroom.” Only 69 percent of these shoppers talked to a store salesperson before buying the product online. About 9 percent of customers “showroom” regularly.
These respondents cite poor customer service as the top reason they don’t shop in-store: 43 percent responded that they experienced long lines at registers; 32 percent said they couldn’t find an employee when they needed help, 43 percent have seen witnessed employees talking on mobile phones while at work, 21 percent say that store employees are not knowledgeable about the product.
But 65 percent in the survey said they would shop in-store if the service was better.
The shopping experience needs to be the same online, in the store or when shopping by catalog. Retailers need to have a consistent shopping experience on their websites and in their stores.
To deter “showrooming,” it comes down to educating your staff. Most serious shoppers want some sort of advice. Very few of them want to be left alone. If they’re going to buy something, they want to talk to someone. If sales staff are able to use technology and look up info and give it to the shopper right on the sales floor, they can capture more sales.
Source: Marketing Magazine, June 2012
