Online shopping will never truly defeat in-store
A recent study reported most Australians still prefer in-store purchasing compared to online. Rick Caballo details why this isn’t as surprising as you might think.
Image.
It is the first thing we buy into when we admire, follow or purchase anything. Image is the essential factor that all good branding is based on. Whether you are a physical store or an online platform, your branding should be strong. However that does not seem to always be the case.
A recent Australian study revealed a fact many may find surprising: more people are choosing to go in-store to purchase items rather than online.
The people that created 90 million in-store visits in the 2015/16 year may not realise why they are choosing to travel to malls and shopping centres, but it is all about branding.
You couldn’t be more wrong. If branding is the key, online is fine. You’re simply ordering the brand, in your correct size. People go to malls and shops because they don’t want to wait a week for their purchase – They want it NOW! and that’s the only reason people don’t shop online more. We are impatient, and prepared to pay a premium to avoid the wait.
“Then, with the rise of the internet, online shopping became popularised due to it’s large convenience factor. However, people seem to have begun realising the downfalls: out of stock items, incorrect sizing or descriptions, quality being hidden behind retouched photos. We seem to have come full circle.”
1) Err, no.
2) It’s “its”, the possessive form has no apostrophe.
There’s a big difference between doing the shopping and going shopping. Doing the shopping is a chore and mostly household need related. Going shopping is about me or mine (family). It’s about looking for ideas, stimulation and entertainment; for women, often done in pairs. Of course it can be done on line, and often is, but it’s the difference between watching a game on television and watching it live. The challenge for retailers is to know which market they are serving and ensuring that their target consumer recognises it. That’s about branding, not merely discounting.