In a world where everything seems to be shifting towards digital, physical retail remains an important part of our economy. Storefronts have plenty of valuable incentives to offer both retailers and consumers. Let’s take a look at some of the major advantages of brick and mortar retail!
3 Advantages of Brick and Mortar Stores
Provide a Tactile Shopping Experience
Brick-and-mortar stores maintain one powerful advantage over online stores: a tactile shopping experience. While online stores make shopping more accessible and convenient than ever, American customers still prefer to shop at a physical store. Despite advanced ecommerce capabilities, mobile apps and other progressive technologies, many consumers still value the tactile experience that brick-and-mortar stores provide.
At a physical store, consumers have the ability to see, touch, feel and even sample a product before making a purchase. When Retail Dive surveyed consumers to find out their shopping habits, many shared that they also choose to shop in stores over online because they can take items home immediately, return items more easily, pose questions to store associates, or simply enjoy the in-store experience. While retail customers like having the option to browse items online, many still like going to the store to see the product in-person before purchasing it either in-store or online.
Build Personal Relationships with Your Customers
One of the most crucial benefits of owning a brick and mortar store is the ability to form connections with customers. An in-person interaction is more personal than communication through your website, social media or the phone. While it’s a good idea to have an online presence for your store, having a storefront enables you to form deeper, emotional relationships with your patrons and show them the impact your brand can have on their lives.
Drive More Sales
Investing in physical retail gives you more opportunities to generate sales, besides your online shop. Several studies also show that consumers spend more per visit in-store than online. The human aspect that brick and mortar stores offer appeals to consumers even in the way they choose to spend their money. Seventy-five percent of the time, both men and women will purchase more than what brought them to the store in the first place.