Omni-channel shopping is putting pressure on stores to provide a more engaging shopping experience, according to a new report just released by dynamic digital display solutions firm Displaydata.
Displaydata surveyed over 2,000 consumers and found that 85% of US shoppers and 76% of UK shoppers now research online before visiting a store, and they use mobile, tablets and desktop technology to do so. However the survey also found a growing disparity between online and physical retail stores.
According to the report, consistent pricing was a key demand for consumers. Despite this 42% of US shoppers and 46% of UK shoppers believe retailers offer different prices online and offline. Displaydata also discovered “perceived shortcomings” with store shopping; 52% of US shoppers and 28% of UK shoppers find stock availability an issue compared to online shopping and almost half overall (48%) feel that promotions offered online are not available in-store.
Furthermore, shoppers now also expect higher levels of information and service in-store, with 42% considering store staff to be poorly informed.
“For some time shoppers have regularly mixed their shopping journeys between online, mobile and physical stores. Our research shows that this is putting increasing pressure on stores to deliver a more engaging shopping experience and consistent offers. Delivering rapid product information changes to a website is simple, but this is not so for paper labels in stores,” said Andrew Dark, CEO, Displaydata.
According to David Hilton, Director of Marketing and Product Management at Displaydata, retailers can improve in-store consumer engagement by implementing digital display solutions such as Electronic Shelf Labels (ESL) in order to align omni-channel experiences.
“By embracing advanced digital technology, retailers have the opportunity to provide better product information, real-time stock availability and highlight prices versus the competition,” writes Hilton on the company blog.
Data sourced from BizReport