Dive Brief:
- More than half (56%) of Internet users buy in-store to save money, according to an October 2015 survey from international research firm GfK.
- 51% of respondents said they bought in stores because they could see and feel the merchandise, and 47% because they shopped there already.
- When shopping on the Web, the leading factors influencing purchase were ease (34%) and savings (28%).
Dive Insight:
For all the fanfare over digital and mobile commerce, physical stores still have an edge in every factor influencing purchase, according to a survey from research firm GfK. Even when it comes to saving money, consumers who have access to the Internet picked stores over digital, 56% to 28%.
E-commerce posted a strong showing for ease, with a third (34%) of consumers naming it as a factor behind a online purchase. But 42% of brick-and-mortar buyers named ease as a factor in their decision, and 47% said they bought because they shopped the store already. Some 21% liked buying online because they could get other items at the same time.
Furthermore, GfK says, desktop computers are still the preferred digital conversion tool, with only young millennials aged 18-24 giving smartphones a slight edge, 34% to 32%. Buyers aged 35-50 make just 15% of their purchases on smartphones, and the number is even lower (7%) for 50-and-overs.
The implications for multichannel marketers is that most consumers can still be pushed to buy in stores no matter where they browse—which can lead to added incremental sales. Pure-play e-commerce retailers may wish to emphasize deals alongside ease of purchase, a combination that’s especially useful for items needing regular replenishment.
