Consumers shopping habits have evolved over the last few years.

Tech-savvy
buyers are equipped with mobile devices, and they’re using them to research,
purchase, and write online reviews. The modern shopper wants convenience,
personalization, and speed.
Facilitated by technology, modern consumers are empowered by instant information
that gives them the choice of when and where to purchase a product or service.
Shopping habits these days are an evolving interaction between in-store and online
environments. In particular, two shopping behaviors that have come to light in recent
years are showrooming and webrooming.

Showrooming
Showrooming is essentially when a shopper checks out a product in-store, using the
store as a “showroom” but then goes home and purchases the product online (often
for a better price).
This proves that the physical store is still very much a part of the shopping
experience; brick and mortar stores are not at risk of extinction because many
customers still prefer the tangibility of being able to see and touch before they buy.

Webrooming
Empathica’s Dr. Gary Edwards defines webrooming as “the opposite behavior to
‘showrooming.’ With showrooming, retailers are faced with the challenge of
customers coming into the store to browse and test products, only to subsequently
go home and actually complete their purchase online (often through a competitor).
Webrooming, on the other hand, is when consumers research products online before
going to the store for a final evaluation and purchase.”
Modern consumers are informed shoppers, and with a plethora of information at their
fingertips, consumers arm themselves with as much information, via online research,
before making the decision to buy. Webrooming is one more indication of how
frictionless it’s become for shoppers to buy when and how they prefer. It gives the
consumer the power of choice and convenience.
Webrooming continues to grow, even outshining showrooming:

 According to a Harris poll, 69% of people webroom, while only 46%

showroom.
 Forrester Research estimated that webrooming will result in $1.8 trillion in
sales by 2017. In comparison, all eCommerce sales should reach $370 billion
in 2017.
 Three out of four shoppers who find local information in web searches are
more inclined to visit physical locations.
Merchant Warehouse conducted a report that provides insights into why customers
prefer webroom over showroom.
  47% don’t want to pay for shipping
 42% want to check an item’s availability online before purchasing it in-store
 23% didn’t want to wait for the product to delivered
 46% like to go to a store to touch and feel a product before they buy
 36% will ask the store to price match a better price found online
 37% like the option of being able to return the item to the store if needed

Brick-and-mortar stores are still needed

Like I mentioned earlier, brick-and-mortar stores are at no risk of extinction because
of the tangibility they offer.

 CBRE reports that more than half (55%) of the world’s retailers plan to open
at least 11 new stores this year.
 Research shows that consumers still find shopping in-store beneficial
because they can see, touch, and try merchandise, get the product
immediately, and they’re more certain about the fit/suitability of the product.
This only reinforces the fact that businesses need to be both online and offline; big
eCommerce retailers like Warby Parker and ModCloth have expanded operations in
the to include physical locations.

Now, let’s throw mobile into the mix

Mobile shopping and mobile payments continue to grow. With the proliferation of
mobile devices, especially among millennials, it only made sense mobile made its
way into the shopping experience. It’s powerful to be able to have the product in front
of you and be able to price shop or read reviews simultaneously on your
smartphone. An intermingling of offline and online occurs. A study
by SecureNet revealed that 55% of them have used a mobile device to research a
product while in store.

Go omnichannel
According to Retail Touchpoint’s global survey of customers, 60% believe that
multiple retail channels including web, social, mobile, and physical retail will be the
norm for most stores, and 56% of their respondents said they would spend more
money at physical retail stores if those locations enabled shoppers to browse
through their merchandise online first. Merchants need to create a rounded customer
experience, making it easy for consumers to buy from you.
Consumers have begun to expect a seamless transition between online and offline,
and brands are adapting in response. Rebecca Minkoff introduced “magic mirrors” to
her stores that allow shoppers to adjust the lighting in changing rooms and make
online purchases directly from the mirror by selecting the size and color. Makeup
behemoth Sephora is one of the companies paving the way in omnichannel retailing.
The beauty retailer built a large and loyal following with their highly successful loyalty
program, interactive online store, and engaging mobile app that allows customers to
upload a photo and test different products before purchasing. Finally, one of the
more infamous applications omnichannel retailing is Apple, who arms their
salespeople with iPads equipped with up-to-date information.
Below are some methods to help you implement an omnichannel approach:

Set up an online store

If you’re a brick-and-mortar business, try testing out an online store; an eCommerce
site helps expose your products to a wider market.

Test a pop-up shop

On the other hand, if you’re an eCommerce exclusive store, test out a physical
location, in the form of a pop-up shop. Online retailers can use this as both a
marketing technique and to test a new sales channel. A sales channel that has
proven very successful for other previously online-only retailers like Nasty Gal and
Clearly Contacts.

Facilitate in-store pickups

The name of the game is frictionless. Make it as easy as possible for consumers to
purchase from you and they will come to you; allow them to pick up online orders in-
store or order out-of-stock items in-store to be shipped to their home.
Omni-channel merchant American Eagle has been seeing great success since implementing
their “store to door” omnichannel program, meaning placing an online order while in store
and having it shipped to their home for free. COO of American Eagle, Michael Rempell,
spoke with analysts at Multichannel Merchant and stated that the company’s buy online and
pickup in store, ship from store and “store to door” operations resulted in $50 million in
revenue during the second half of the year, nearly doubling the company’s expectations.

Enhance the in-store experience

Athletic retailers LuluLemon and Nike have turned their stores into studios, offering
free fitness classes for customers. Urban Outfitters and Nordstrom added bars and
restaurants into a number of stores to give their shoppers an opportunity to connect
with the brand in non-traditional ways and encourage engagement and customer
loyalty.

Be social
Consumers are always connected – even in-store so why not take advantage of the
fact consumers are always connected by increasing mobile engagement. Ask them
to:

 Like your Facebook page

 Take a photo with your apparel and tag it with your branded hashtag on
Instagram
 Share their purchases on Twitter.
Incentivize consumers with through contests, giveaways, discounts, and other
promotional campaigns.
Actively monitor reviews, mentions, and complaints on social media and sites like
Yelp because social media encourages social proof which increases conversion
rates:

 82% of shoppers say they consult their phones about a purchase they’re
about to make in-store.
 People are 4x more likely to make a purchase when referred by a friend, and
there’s an 18% boost in loyalty from a referred customer versus the ones
acquired via a different method.
 90% of customers admit their buying decisions are influenced by online
reviews

Give the people wi-fi

If consumers in your store are using their smartphones for some last minute
research, think about giving them access to Wi-Fi. A lack of internet connection
means they can’t access the information they need to see, leading to them waiting
until they get home to make a decision, potentially resulting in a lost sale.

Ensure proper sales training

Empowering your staff is one of the most important ways to increase in-store sales
and turn showroomers into customers. 54% of consumers stated that a
knowledgeable sales associate was the number one offering that would compel them
to make their purchase in-store. Improve the training of salespeople and arm them
with digital resources that can help them better assist customers to find the
information and products they want more quickly and efficiently.
Conclusion
Both showrooming and webrooming are purchasing behaviors that aren’t going
anywhere and contributes to an overall omnichannel strategy. Consumer behavior
will continue to change and evolve as long as technology continues to advance.
Businesses are better positioning themselves to implement an omnichannel
experience that benefits both merchant and consumer.