Articles

3.2.2011 In-store beats web for shoppers

A majority of North American consumers prefer buying products in-store to doing so online, a study has revealed. Empathica, the customer service advisory firm, surveyed nearly 11,000 peoplein America and Canada to gain an insight into current attitudes and behaviours. Overall, 42.7% of panellists believed that their financial situation will improve in the first half of 2011. When the same question was asked in 2010, just 33.8% agreed. Moreover, 15% of interviewees heightened their expenditure levels last year, a substantial uptick on the 6% score registered in the prior round of research.

Turning to purchase habits, 21% of respondents agreed in-store experiences are typically better than the online equivalent, 15% took the opposite stance, and 36% stated these channels were evenly matched. Despite this, 69% favoured making most acquisitions in bricks and mortar outlets, while 22% afforded the web a parallel status. One digital activity that has proved especially popular is using comparison sites, as 72% of contributors have utilised the net to conduct research, monitor prices and complete transactions. An equal percentage had considered the merits of competing items via the internet before obtaining the appropriate brand in a shop.

B.L. 3.2.2011