Dive Brief:
- The lion’s share of customers — 9 in 10 — say despite the convenience of online shopping, the experience doesn’t compare to shopping in-store, according to a Chatmeter report published earlier this month. Chatmeter surveyed more than 1,000 customers and analyzed 500,000 online reviews of specialty retail stores.
- About 3 in 5 consumers say they shop in stores because they enjoy the experience.
- Plenty of inventory was the No. 1 factor in customers’ decision to visit a store, followed by deals only available in store and the opportunity to try on and test products, the survey found.
Dive Insight:
Digital experiences have come a long way, but technology can’t replace in-store shopping, especially for specialty retail stores.
“Stores are valuable assets,” Jon Copestake, EY Global consumer senior analyst, told CX Dive in July. They’re important for product discovery, introducing customers to new product launches and offering services that boost customer experience and loyalty.
Brick-and-mortar storefronts are also revenue drivers. Offline retail spend accounts for more than three-quarters of retail spend in 2025, according to EY research earlier this year.
Touching and feeling products is a key aspect of an in-store experience. Just over half — 52% — said they shop in person instead of online so they can try on clothing or test products, according to the Chatmeter study.
To stay relevant, in-store retailers should focus on experiential elements that consumers are unable to find online, said Jon Picoult, founder and principal of Watermark Consulting.
“For example, a bookstore where you can casually browse the stacks to discover a new and interesting read, or an apparel store where you can feel the thickness of a sweater and see how it looks on you, or an electronics store where you can fiddle with a new fitness tracker and learn about it from a knowledgeable salesperson who also happens to be a fellow marathoner,” Picoult said in an email.
Customers also seek out advice. Close to half of those who shopped at beauty stores said they asked a salesperson for more information about a product in the past year. Seven in 10 customers said the associates they interacted with were very or extremely knowledgeable.
The report also highlights that while business leaders invest in flashy technology, most customers just want the basics done well.
Of the 500,000 online reviews Chatmeter analyzed, commentary about in-store basics drove nearly 9 in 10 reviews. Long checkout lines were one of the main culprits.
“Shoppers might be awed by a store’s smartphone-enabled augmented reality, but — if they can’t find a soul in the store to answer a question, if the product they want to buy is out of stock, if there are literally no employees staffing the checkout lines — then they won’t be inclined to return, no matter how flashy the store’s technology is,” Picoult said.
