The perks of shopping offline

In the last 20 years, the online shopping phenomenon has gained tremendous momentum, with up to three quarters of UK shoppers now making all of their purchases online. With the promise of no queues, the means to search for exactly what you want and the ability to compare prices and reviews, it is no surprise why this medium of shopping is utilized by so many.

So what has become of the high street in the midst of the online shopping revolution? A recent study of 2,500 shoppers across a range of demographics, revealed that an eye-opening 90% of those surveyed preferred to buy in a brick-and-mortar store. Shopping on the high street is both a social and tangible experience where humans take value from interacting with others and being able touch, feel and buy a product there and then. We take a look at the key aspects of offline shopping that encourage the modern day consumer to put down their smartphone and head to the high street.

Accuracy

Perhaps the greatest benefit of shopping offline is being able to physically interact with a product and see it for what it really is. 39% of shoppers agree that gauging the quality, fit and ergonomics of a product is more enjoyable and simply easier to carry out in person as opposed to trying to guess from what it looks like in an image online. As a result of being able to make physical contact with a product before purchase, product satisfaction is likely to be higher. Consequently, this reduces the likelihood of consumers having to return what they have bought – a process that proves to be an inconvenience for many.

Immediacy

In today’s growing culture of impatience, when consumers want a product, they want to have it immediately. Instant gratification is hugely appealing to the eager consumer, with over half of consumers said to prefer buying their products in store so that they can walk away with them that day. In addition to this, consumers are able to save money by avoiding shipping costs.

Loyalty

Consumers are able to establish personal connections with offline businesses, with over 60% of Britain’s shoppers maintaining long-term relationships with their local shops, averaging out at around 10 years. Showing loyalty to a local shop can reap a variety of benefits for both consumers themselves and the wider community. By becoming friendly with a shop owner after repeatedly visiting their store, shoppers are likely to be awarded for their loyalty through discounts and a better quality of service. As well as this, when spending in local stores, a consumer’s money is likely to circulate in the community, thus helping to bolster their local economy.

Social experience

The act of shopping proves to be a great means of socialising and whole days can be planned around visiting the high street with family or friends. Shoppers of today’s generation are more influenced by social recommendations than ever before, with 66% of them asking for a friend’s advice before making a purchase. The social dynamic of shopping offline with friends may contribute to a consumer being able to make a purchase decision more quickly and confidently.