Over the past few years, the transition from high street to online shopping has been pretty evident. It is not uncommon to walk down the street and see boarded up shops with many ‘closing down sale’ signs. As sad as it is, many people feel as though they just don’t need to use the high streets anymore, and shop owners are battling against the drastically reduced prices that online retailers are able to provide their customers.
The omnipresence of online shopping has triggered a debate as to whether we will soon be seeing the death of the high streets completely, and if we do, when will this event occur? The beloved BHS store has completely closed, along with Woolworth's, Toys R Us, and many others, and in partnership with these closures comes rise in online shopping. After all, shopping on a website offers a number of advantages. It’s much more convenient, and it’s easier to find a good price on a product you’re interested in with all the price comparison websites around.
Yet, there are still many people who would be very upset to see high street shops disappear from their lives. Physical stores can offer customers things that online stores can’t. No one can argue that online retailers cannot mimic the experience of physically touching merchandise, and when it comes to products like clothing, this can be pretty important. Retail stores give the customer the chance to really inspect or try the product she’s considering to buy.
Sometimes, by talking directly with the store owner or a knowledgeable staff member, customers are able to get questions answered quickly and efficiently, and feel more confident about their purchase. Additionally, there is a chance that the customer will be able to negotiate a lower price.
One of the most important benefits of brick and mortar stores, however, is the fact that the customer is able to take the product home the same day she bought it. For those that need a last minute purchase, this is the key. Additionally, for many, shopping is considered a social experience, and this is something that just can’t be achieved with online shopping.
Although there are equally many benefits of shopping online, the fact that many customers are not giving up brick and mortar stores yet just shows that physical stores will not disappear anytime soon.
Infographic from http://love.shopping.fm/
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