How you could be failing 65 per cent of your customers
Australians have an overwhelming preference to shop at bricks-and-mortar stores with 65 per cent saying they prefer an in-store experience according to research from Monash University.
The report also found that only 18 per cent of Australians preferred shopping online with researchers suggesting that retailers were failing to capitalise on consumer trends.
Research from the report found that key factors behind the customer trend towards bricks-andmortar experiences included the ability to touch product and try it on and also the ability to get a more personalised experience from people in-store. Monash Australian Consumer and Retail Services research unit managing director Rebecca Dare said that many retailers were failing to adjust to what their customers wanted from an in-store experience. “We see trends overseas with empathic, human-centred design and advanced technologies that make shopping easier and more pleasurable.
“However, in Australia, it’s all too common to see that in some cases the basics aren’t right – stock is piled high to the ceiling, merchandise is displayed poorly, and finding personalised customer service can be difficult. “We are also seeing similar trends overseas. Nearly 80 per cent of shoppers in the USA purchased more than half of their items in-store in 2017. Australian retailers need to understand that customers want the experience that the physical store can bring. Retailers just need to provide it.”