Trendy shopping platforms may seem like the future of retail—and in many sectors such as clothes and electronics they are. But when shopping for home furnishings, one recent survey suggests consumers still prefer the old-fashioned way of doing business: by heading down to their brick-and-mortar store.
The report, commissioned by GPShopper, reveals trends amid consumer behavior intention and preferences. While no one can predict what new buying platforms may emerge in the next decade, data suggests that “OG” shopping in stores, at least in certain sectors, remains robust.
Findings from the report, titled “Reality of Shopper Motivation,” were drawn from the responses of more than 1,000 adult U.S. shoppers. Consumers were asked about their current purchasing habits and how they see themselves spending in 10 years. Nearly one-third of those respondents said they would not shop from social media over the next decade.
The lure of brick-and-mortar stores was most attractive to consumers who will be in the market for so-called “Big Life Items” such as cars, engagement rings or home furnishings. According to the survey, 68 percent of shoppers today want to make those major life purchases in physical stores. That’s a preference that’s not going away anytime soon because 57 percent of those shoppers say they will still want to shop a physical store for those large purchases 10 years from now.
[Manufacturers endorse brick-and-mortar]
Maya Mikhailov, chief marketing officer and cofounder of GPShopper, said the past 20 years have brought a sea change to many sectors of the retail industry. Many, but not all.
“Today, retailers are constantly experimenting with technology in an attempt to master the trend of the moment,” says Mikhailov, “but, contrary to popular belief, traditional shopping practices aren’t dead. People may assume methods like in-store shopping, for example, would pale in comparison to newer e-commerce offerings — but our research shows that’s not the case.”
The report also showed that retailers trying to convince consumers to treat themselves should be gathering information from their customers after a purchase. Sixty percent of shoppers will buy themselves presents on their birthdays, almost double those who will splurge after getting a raise at work. Half of Americans are spurred to open their wallets when they have a coupon inside. It sounds like a birthday coupon is a winning combination.
