From Clicks to Bricks: The Future of Retail

The~sword of damocles~has hung over~the future of high street retail for years,~with~doomsayers predicting the end of physical stores. But an emerging trend labelled “clicks to bricks” or “e-tail to retail” looks set to revive high streets as online retailers cash in on the~touchy feely~and other~benefits~of a physical store,~which include:

#1~Shopping as~theatre

Online retail may save you time, grief and gas money but physical shopping provides an interactive experience that can’t be replicated online.~A survey~conducted by students from LIM College~in conjunction with the National Retail Federation Student Association on~the~shopping habits of 18- to 25-year-olds~suggests that just over two thirds of them - some 68% - prefer to shop in stores for clothing and shoes. The chance to touch, feel and try on merchandise is particularly important for luxury brands.

#2~Community spirit

Nothing~builds~advocacy more than belonging to a club. Some sporting chains have~capitalised on this by providing~a community experience offline. Performance cyclewear store Rapha started its online business in 2004~and~opened its first store in San Francisco in 2011.~With~branches in London, Osaka, New York and Sydney, the~stores~provide an experience that can’t be replicated~online~– a chance~place to absorb cycle culture,~drink coffee, join in organised cycles rides, make friends and watch major races on big screens.~Sportswear~retailer Sweaty Betty has cultivated~a~similar experience,~holding~exercise classes within its boutique stores.

#3~Increased satisfaction

Some products benefit from physical inspection.~Jewellery and digital products for instance~need to be seen in the flesh, while bespoke products demand retailer-customer interaction.~For this reason online shopping can suffer disutility - shortcomings in satisfying human wants.~Additionally, such~products can be slow or expensive~to receive~and hard to return when bought online.

[caption id="attachment_1188" align="alignnone" width="468"] The Future of Retail is Omni-Channel[/caption]

#4~Better customer connections

There is~no better way~to get to know~your customers~than~by~speaking to them face-to-face.~True,~they~may be browsing the aisles and comparing prices with their smartphone rather than buying instore, but a compelling instore retail experience will encourage~them to buy for~brand association over price.~Pop up stores have proved a hit for~many~online retailers keen to~provide a high touch, physical brand experience~and get closer to their customers~without the cost and commitment of a~physical~store.

~#5~Greater recognition

Beyond the fact some experiences~can’t be replicated online,~physical~stores affect~our~tastes and~choices~and help determine~what we buy online.~In~an article for~MIT Technology Review~online~ads for stores in close proximity to a user’s home were more likely to be viewed. For every mile closer a store was, smartphone users were 23%~more likely to click on an ad. Proof~perhaps~that~people~prefer to buy from trusted sellers~in close proximity,~irrespective of whether they then purchase online or instore.

The future is omni-channel

So what does this~mean for the future of retail?~For many, it’s~no~longer~about where customers shop but about how they shop, or omni-channel – the latest word to spill into the mainstream. Look out for our future article on the technology that’s changing how we shop.

For~more~technology tips and tricks~read our~10 e-commerce conversion tactics.