As online and offline merge in today’s commerce anywhere and everywhere world, what is the significance of the retail store as a customer touch point? Read full report: http://www.data-charts.com/the-relevance-of-brick-mortar-stores-in-an-omni-channel-world/ This report will not only reveal that shoppers still prefer in-store to online experience, but also shed light on three key reasons why they prefer brick-&-mortar stores as well as offer a strategic guide on what retailers can do to improve the consumer’s store experience in return for their loyalty and word of mouth. Key Questions Answered in the Report Do omni-channel shoppers prefer to visit and buy from retail stores? Why do store goers prefer brick-&-mortar to the online experience? What is the role of retail stores to the omni-channel shopper? How can retailers better serve shoppers to increase loyalty and word of mouth? Report Table of Contents I. Top stats from the report II. Introduction i. US omni-channel shopping hits tipping point in 2014 ii. Omni-channel gives consumers options when it comes to how they buy iii. Consumers prefer buying in-store to all other omni-channel options III. 3 reasons omni-channel consumers prefer physical stores i. Stores provide emotional benefits that improve shopping experience ii. Brand driven purchase decision iii. Rise of webrooming - search online, buy offline IV. Retail as an information hub on the path to purchase i. Evaluating retail stores in a tech driven information age ii. Retail stores act as information hubs across the consumer journey iii. Using technology to fulfill the need for information V. 3 ways stores can better serve omni-channel shoppers i. Awareness Stage: Provide info to facilitate & improve store visits ii. Influence Stage: Empower staff to educate shoppers & exceed expectations iii. Conversion Stage: Prevent out-of-stock instances that disappoint consumers VI. References List of Charts US omni-channel shopper growth by category, 2013 vs 2014 Global consumer shopping behavior by mode of purchase Global consumer shopping preference by mode of purchase US shopper preference for brick-&-mortar vs online by drivers The growing influence of brand on purchase decisions Trends in showrooming vs webrooming among US shoppers Impact of online research on loyalty to brands & retailers US shoppers looking for information by store visit state US shoppers visiting stores for info by consumer journey stage US shoppers reaction to lack of information during store visit US shopper demands from retailer mobile apps Online sources used to conduct pre-purchase research Top info sought by US shoppers during pre-purchase research Shopper expectation from retail staff during store visits Customer expectations on mobile use among retail staff Impact of inventory information on shopper store visits Impact of out-of-stock inventory on shopper conversion

1. The Relevance of Brick-&-Mortar Stores
in an Omni-Channel World
Why do shoppers prefer visiting stores and what can
retailers do to better serve the omni-channel customer?

2. Key Findings
• Overall in 2014 44% of US shoppers across 15 major categories were omni-channel shoppers - up
from 37% in 2013.
• More than half of all US shopper’s in consumer electronics (65%), apparel(64%), and toys (63%)
are omni-channel shoppers.
• The share of omni-channel shoppers in the home improvement category increased from 38% in
2013 to 57% in 2014- a growth of 50%. In the auto category, the figure increased from 43% in
2013 to 57% in 2014 - a growth of 33%.
• 53% of consumers bought products on their PC or tablet in 2014 compared to 26% who bought
products on their smartphones.
• 13% of consumers are now buying products straight from social networking sites like Facebook
and Twitter while 10% are buying through a link on online articles and magazines.
• 34% of consumers who bought products in stores had it delivered home.
• Click-and-collect was opted by 31% of consumers.
• 53% of consumers said that their preferred mode of purchase was to visit a store and leave with
the products themselves.
• 58% of consumers prefer shopping in a store before they can ‘see and feel’ the product before
buying.
• 53% of consumers prefer the in-store experience because they ‘get products sooner’.
• 44% of consumers prefer visiting stores because they can discover and purchase unrelated items
during the same visit.

3. Key Findings
• 61% of consumers pick online channels of purchase to save money.
• 53% of consumers prefer buying online because it is ‘easier’
• 46% of shoppers perceive the selection to be better online.
• Consumers also prefer store over online channels because they have fallen into the habit of
visiting stores for certain products (39%) and feel more assured about a hassle-free return
procedure should they need to (35%).
• 48% of consumers are happy to buy a product directly from the brand instead of visiting a
retailer.
• 60% of these consumers won’t buy the brand unless they see it in a brick-&-mortar store first.
• The share of showrooming shoppers in the US increased from 22% in 2012 to 37% in 2013 but
dropped to 28% in 2014.
• 41% of US shoppers reported they engaged in webrooming in 2014.
• 72% of US consumers said they felt more in control than before when shopping.
• 62% of consumers are now less loyal to retailers and 60% are less loyal to brands than before due
to information obtained from online research.
• 52% of consumers say they are loyal to a brand or retailer that gives them relevant and helpful
input on what to buy.
• 87% of shoppers seek information before visiting a store and 79% seek information while in a
store.
• 35% of shoppers sought more information after having visited a retail outlet.

4. Key Findings
• 69% of US shoppers visited a retail store for information during different stages of the consumer
journey.
• 32% of consumers visited a retail store in the discovery oriented Awareness stage of the journey.
• 33% of consumers visited a retail store during the Influence stage of the journey.
• 55% of consumers visited a retail store during the Purchase stage of the journey.
• 14% of consumers return to the store post-purchase either to return products or for help with
using them.
• 43% of shoppers reported feeling frustrated after failing to find product related information
during a store visit.
• 41% of shoppers who failed to find relevant information during a store visit said they were likely
to shop elsewhere. 22% said they were less likely to buy from the retailer.
• 53% of consumers want mobile apps to provide accurate information about the location and
availability of products in the store.
• 34% of consumers want apps to provide suggestions about additional products they might like.
• 75% of shoppers use a search engine to look up products and information even before heading
out for a store visit.
• 71% of consumers search for information on online-only retailer websites/apps and 70% look up
websites/apps for retailers with physical stores.
• 75% of shoppers want price related information in nearby stores while 74% want to know if the
item is in stock at a nearby store.
• 66% of consumers seek location of nearest store, 63% look for opening hours, and 59% want a
map that shows stores with the product in stock.

5. Key Findings
• 56% of consumers also want complimentary information on other products available across
different stores to help them decide which store to visit.
• 68% of consumers who visited a retail store said they expected the sales associate to be an
expert on the products offered in-store while 45% expected them to be an expert in products
offered both online and in-store.
• Consumers are less likely to expect the sales assistant to be actively using the product (23%) or
have knowledge of their past purchase behavior (14%).
• 69% of consumers expect store assistants to have a mobile device to help them out.
• 50% of consumers who visit a store expect store personnel to look up product information on
their mobile devices.
• Shoppers also expect that when products are not in the shelf, retail staff would use their mobile
device to check inventory in the store (43%) as well as at a nearby store (44%).
• 40% of consumers also expect store personnel to provide information regarding return policies
and warranties.
• 73% of consumers are likely or very likely to visit a store if the product is marked as available.
• 71% of consumers are not likely to visit a store if the product is marked as out-of-stock.
• 74% of shoppers are likely to opt for the buy-and-deliver-product option if it’s free but only 30%
are likely to opt for it if they have to pay.
• 62% of consumers are likely to visit and buy from another retailer’s store in the event the product
is out-of-stock.
• 53% of consumers are likely to buy it online once they reach home from a different retailer.

6. The Relevance of Brick-&-Mortar Stores
in an Omni-Channel World
Click to read the full report

7. US omni-channel shopper growth by category, 2013 vs 2014
% US shoppers reporting omni-channel shopping by category purchased
14% 2013 2014
44%
63%
61%
64%
65%
57%
57%
57%
58%
54%
49%
39%
35%
27%
29%
20%
21%
22%
37%
57%
60%
43%
38%
52%
31%
26%
15%
15%
Meals at restaurants
Cleaning products
Food and beverage
OTC medication
Lawn & garden
Healthcare services
Beauty & personal
Financial services
Mobile devices
Home improvement
Auto
Home appliances
Toys
Apparel
Consumer electronics
Overall US market
Source: GfK FutureBuy, September 2014
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8. Global consumer shopping behavior by mode of purchase
% global shoppers who bought a product by given mode of purchase
Source: Oracle, 2014
10%
13%
26%
31%
34%
53%
Buying on my
PC/tablet
Buy in store and
delivered to home
Click and collect Buy on my
smartphone
Buy on a social
networking site
Buy through a link
on online article or
magazine
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9. Global consumer shopping preference by mode of purchase
% global shoppers
Source: Oracle, 2014
5% 4% 4%
35%
53%
Buy goods in-store and
take goods home
Buy goods online and
have them delivered
home
Buy goods online and
have them delivered to
office or a locker
Buy goods online and
pick u at a store later
Buy goods in a store
and have them
delivered home
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10. US shopper preference for brick-&-mortar vs online by drivers
% US shoppers who prefer given channel for each driver
See and feel
before buying
Get products
sooner
Can buy related
things together
Routinely shop
there already
Hassle free
16%
9%
returns 10%
23%
21%
Source: GfK FutureBuy, September 2014
Bricks-&-mortar Online
44%
39%
35%
58%
53%
Save money
Easier
Better selection
Faster
Better information
24%
27%
53%
46%
44%
61%
16%
29%
16%
28%
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11. The growing influence of brand on purchase decisions
% global shoppers
Source: Oracle, 2014
19%
33%
48%
Yes I’m happy to buy
directly from a brand
No Iike to choose
products from range
of brands
Yes, if the brand
offers add-on
services like
personalization
40%
60%
Need to see brand in
a store before making
purchase
Would buy brand
without seeing it
in a store
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12. Trends in showrooming vs webrooming among US shoppers
% US shoppers
Share of showrooming consumers Share of webrooming consumers
Source: GfK FutureBuy, September 2014
28%
37%
22%
2012 2013 2014
Webrooming
41%
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13. Impact of online research on loyalty to brands & retailers
% US shoppers
Source: GfK FutureBuy, September 2014
52%
62%
60%
72%
Feel more in control than
ever before when
shopping
Now less loyal to any one
retailer than before
Now less loyal to any one
brand than before
More loyal to brand/
retailer that gave me
input on what to buy
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14. US shoppers looking for information by store visit state
% US shoppers who looked up information
87% 79% 35%
Before visiting
a store
Source: Google, October 2014
While visiting
a store
After visiting a
store
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15. US shoppers visiting stores for info by consumer journey stage
% US shoppers who visited store to look up information by consumer journey stage
Awareness
Stage
Source: Google, October 2014
of consumers used physical stores for information
69%during different phases of the purchase process
32% 33% 55% 14%
Influence
Stage
Purchase
Stage
Post-Purchase
Stage
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16. US shoppers reaction to lack of information during store visit
% US shoppers who failed to find required information during a store visit
Source: Google, October 2014
shoppers who tried to find information within a store
2 in 3 say they didn’t find all the information they needed
43%
41%
22%
were left frustrated
were more likely
to shop elsewhere
were less likely to
buy from the retailer
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17. US shopper demands from retailer mobile apps
% US shoppers
Source: Oracle, 2014
19%
17%
21%
25%
34%
52%
Accurate information about
location and availability of product
Suggestions about additional
products I might like
Information on
click and collect facility
Ability to browse for product
preview and information
In-store payment without
going to cash counter
Ability to detect and
connect with in-store wifi
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18. Online sources used to conduct pre-purchase research
% US shoppers who conducted pre-purchase research
Search engines 75%
Source: Google, October 2014
39%
36%
35%
71%
70%
Online-only retailer websites/apps
Websites/apps for retailers with
physical stores
Social networking
websites and apps
Online video
website/apps
Coupon or daily deal
website/apps
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19. Top info sought by US shoppers during pre-purchase research
% US shoppers who conducted pre-purchase research
75%
74%
66%
Source: Google, October 2014
Price of item at a
nearby store
Availability of item
in nearby store
Location of closest
store with item
63%
59%
56%
Opening hours of
closest retail stores
A map showing
stores with item
Complimentary
products available
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20. Shopper expectation from retail staff during store visits
% US shoppers who visited a retail store
8%
Source: Forrester + Accenture + hybris, January 2014
14%
23%
45%
68%
Be an expert on the products
offered in store
Be an expert on the products
offered in store and online
Actively use the products offered
Be knowledgeable about my
preferences and past purchases
None of the above
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21. Customer expectations on mobile use among retail staff
% US shoppers who visited a retail store
I expect sales associate to have a mobile device
I do not expect sales associate to have a mobile device
31% 69%
Source: Forrester + Accenture + hybris, January 2014
8%
15%
24%
33%
44%
43%
40%
50%
Look up product
information
Look up inventory at a
nearby store
Check additional store
inventory
Provide info on return &
warranties
Reserve products to pick
up at nearby store
Perform a checkout for me
Look up social mentions
and product reviews
Look up past purchases
and make suggestions
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22. Impact of inventory information on shopper store visits
% US shoppers who look up information before a store visit
4%
Source: Forrester + Accenture + hybris, January 2014
19%
19%
14%
43%
12%
26%
19%
32%
13%
22%
28%
16%
15%
16%
16%
4%
44%
25%
11%
Very Unlikely Unlikely Neutral Likely Very Likely
Inventory is marked as
available in-store
Inventory is marked as low
availability in-store
In-store inventory is not
available online
Inventory is marked as not
available or out-of-stock
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23. Impact of out-of-stock inventory on shopper conversion
% US shoppers who faced out-of-stock issues during store visits
7%
7%
8%
34%
30%
4%
4%
7%
7%
Source: Forrester + Accenture + hybris, January 2014
24%
22%
22%
22%
14%
12%
13%
28%
45%
19%
18%
18%
33%
27%
24%
36%
34%
29%
19%
19%
19%
24%
28%
29%
35%
24%
16%
14%
20%
14%
12%
9%
5%
36%
19%
6%
Very Unlikely Unlikely Neutral Likely Very Likely
Buy in-store and deliver product
home for free
Visit and buy from another
retailer’s physical store
Buy online from home from
same retailer
Buy online from home from
difference retailer
Hold off on buying the product
Buy in store and pick up from
another store by some retailer
Buy on mobile device while in
store from same retailer
Buy in-store and deliver product
home for a fee
Buy on mobile device while in
store from different retailer
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24. The Relevance of Brick-&-Mortar Stores
in an Omni-Channel World
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