RetailDive: Shoppers increasingly picking stores with a website and physical location
RetailDive shares that shoppers want a store with both a great website and a convenient location--something that retail leader Amazon may not offer.
Article highlights:
40% of stores now offer BOPIS.
Even with stores now being open (after the mandatory Covid-19 closures), e-commerce growth is still up 40% over 2019.
80% of consumers told FTI Consulting that they're going to shop more online this year compared to last, ...But many of those customers will be going to their stores — including their small, local retailers — to pick up those online purchases (or return them).
Walmart offers e-commerce fulfillment through 2,800 of its stores. This also helps Walmart grow its third-party marketplace sales.
In-store or curbside pickup, which Amazon cannot offer, is where Walmart and indie stores are winning.
Amazon does offer some physical locations for transactions, such as Wholefoods and Kohl's to accept returns.
Indie stores often have a physical store, but a poor website offering. The trends above suggest that indie stores can navigate through the pandemic if they significantly upgrade their websites.