Dive Brief:

• Online shopping is growing, with almost half of shoppers saying they prefer it, especially people under 40, according to a new study by IBM Global Business Services. Expectations of fulfillment have grown, with 36% saying they prefer delivery in 2014, up from 23% in 2011.

• Consumers are also more willing to share location (28% in 2014 compared to 24% in 2013) and contact information with their favorite retailers. 38% in 2014 said they’d share their mobile handle compared to 32% in 2013, and 42% would share their number for texts, compared to 38% in 2013. But they do want the option of opting in or out, and 48% want personalized promotions in exchange for personal information; another 44% want that in-store too.

• The study also found that digital expectations have truly spilled over to the store, with shoppers becoming intolerant of “out of stock” issues; 60% say retailers able to find them an out-of-stock item is an “important differentiator.” And in-store associates who can track down an item from a retailer's inventory or solve other issues for them “on the spot” is a differentiator too, for 46% in 2014, up from 40% in 2013.

Dive Insight:

Well it looks like “omnichannel” is here, at least for shoppers. This study shows how much consumers have come to expect ordering, promotional, communication, and inventory capabilities from retailers regardless of whether they’re in the store, online, or on their phones. To the extent that retailers can catch up, it’s an opportunity.