Of Americans who have ever shopped online, 45% are shopping more online compared to the prior year, and 41% are shopping the same amount online, according to BIGresearch. That’s compared to 9% who are shopping more in brick-and-mortar stores and 53% who are shopping the same amount in stores.
Nearly half of shoppers (46%) say they find the best selection of merchandise at online retailers, whereas only 16% say traditional stores have the best selections. Similarly, shoppers think they get better deals at online retailers (50%) than at traditional stores (14%). They are split on who has the best sales and promotions, with 35% saying online retailers, 29% saying traditional stores, and 36% saying they are equal.
One area in which traditional stores clearly surpass online retailers is customer service, with 50% of shoppers saying that brick-and-mortar stores have the best service, compared to 20% who say online retailers do.
The younger the shopper, the more likely they are to espouse the benefits of online shopping over traditional shopping.
The vast majority of online shoppers (70%) prefer to shop online retailers who also have a physical presence. While that makes a difference in terms of trust, it also affects returns: 62% of shoppers who have returned an online purchase did so in person at a store. [Retail/Service Sector, Online]
Source: “American Pulse: Online Shoppers,” BIGresearch, Phil Rist, VP Strategic Initiatives, 450 W. Wilson Bridge Rd., #370, Worthington, OH 45085; 614-846-0146; phil@bigresearch.com; www.bigresearch.com. Price: Available upon request at no charge.
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