In-store shopping is seeing a resurgence as retailers continue to provide consumers with convenient and exciting purchase experiences. And with the holidays approaching, it’s important for retailers to evolve their in-store strategies to encourage repeat shopping.
According to a September 2019 report from branded payments provider Blackhawk Network, 28% of US internet users said they shopped in-store more often this year vs. last year, and 63% said the frequency with which they shop in-store has remained consistent over the past two years.
“While certain segments of brick-and-mortar have gotten a bit stale, many other retailers—both incumbents and upstarts—have done an exceptional job at evolving the in-store experience to match the needs of modern consumers,” said Andrew Lipsman, principal analyst at eMarketer. “We often hear about the need for ‘experiential retail’ without defining what that means. In some cases, it can mean a more entertaining or interactive retail experience, but not every retailer can or should aspire to that. Instead, it can be as simple as creating an aura and ambiance where people want to spend some time rather than trying to get in and out as quickly as possible.”
Blackhawk found that 82% of US boomers ages 55 to 74 said they made purchases in a physical store at least monthly. And the popularity of in-store shopping doesn't stop there: According to a June 2019 report from consumer research platform CivicScience, while in-store shopping tendencies vary slightly by age, nearly 49% of millennial internet users surveyed—those ages 25 to 34—said they conduct the majority of their shopping in-store.