Brick-and-mortar retailers have faced an upsurge in showrooming in recent months. This is where a customer will use the store as a showroom to try out a product but go online to make the purchase. The problem for retailers is that consumers often end up on a competitor’s website. For example, a shopper might try out a new gadget at a Target store, then buy it on Amazon.
A new study from the technology company CrossView offers suggestions to retailers for making the most of their cross-channel assets. Amazon, after all, doesn’t have physical stores (at least, not yet), giving brick-and-mortar stores a potential edge when it comes to things like convenience, instant gratification, and personal service.
“Cross-channel retailers have a number of advantages that can help them outsmart showrooming. With the speculation that Amazon is moving to same day delivery, cross-channel retailers need to leverage their store assets … to remain competitive with this impending threat,” said Mark Fodor, CEO of CrossView.
Besides suggesting that retailers allow customers to purchase online and pick up in the stores, CrossView also advises retailers to keep pricing and promotions consistent between their brick-and-mortar and e-commerce operations. Doing so will begin training consumers to know that no matter what channel they use to make a purchase, they will be offered a consistent price and the convenience of being able to pick up in-store.
You can read more about the study at forbes.com.
