How Can Online Shopping Be Refined to Recreate In-Store Experience?

By: LiquidPixels | January 25, 2022 | 4 Min Read

Online shopping, since its inception, has changed people’s lives and shifted the global economy in unprecedented ways.

Gone are the days when people had to physically go out and walk around a department store to purchase the things they needed and the things that caught their eyes. Now, people can just visit a website, pick what they want, click “Add to Cart”, pay cashless, and wait for those products to be delivered right to their doorsteps.

Still, companies know that the in-person experience is not going away and they are not getting rid of physical stores. Far from it. In fact, when it comes to brick-and-mortar retail vs. e-commerce, the in-person experience still provides a massive share of overall retail sales. According to Forbes:

“While online commerce will exceed $1 trillion in 2021, the brick-and-mortar stores will still be very relevant for shopping with 84 percent of sales coming from physical stores.”

In a post-pandemic world, why is this still the case? What makes the brick-and-mortar retail experience superior to e-commerce? And how can online shopping be improved to recreate the best of the in-store CX?

How Online Shopping Affects the Economy

Before we answer the question, "How can online shipping be improved?" first, we need to determine how online shopping affects the economy.

On one hand, e-commerce/online shopping can take tax revenue away from the local economy. Not every retailer charges the appropriate amount of tax on their online products. Moreover, local small and medium enterprises (SMEs) that do not have an online presence have difficulty competing with virtually-based companies. This results in a loss of sales taxes collected in certain states, especially in counties or towns.

On the other hand, online businesses create more engaged, connected, and tech-savvy customers. They also help environmentally, as the lack of a physical store reduces their overall carbon footprint. Not to mention, e-commerce has definitely been (and is continuing to be) a lifeline during the social upheaval wrought by the pandemic.

Businesses need to consider the good and bad sides of e-commerce before they make any move to establish their online presence. Brands also need to understand the intense pressure they are facing in an online space not just from competitors, but from customers as well. It is easier in physical stores to drive loyalty from footfall, proximity to communities, etc. However, online shoppers can be mercurial and browse from e-store to e-store without the same consideration for brand loyalty.

Online shopping is a complex phenomenon—it is not as simple as the “old” and the “new”.

Brick-and-Mortar Retail vs. E-Commerce

Buying online may be convenient, but the brick-and-mortar shopping experience is still what most consumers crave. In fact, research says 64 percent of shoppers still choose to spend their money in person.

So why do people still prefer the ‘brick-and-mortar shopping experience’?

For one, buyers cannot physically touch or interact with products in a virtual showroom, it’s not until they are delivered to the doorstep. More often than not, shoppers want to physically feel the product before they buy it. Raydiant reports 33 percent of shoppers choose in-store shopping just because they want to “see and feel products.”

The same report reveals that 26 percent have also said that they “simply enjoy the overall experience of shopping in person.” They want to explore a store and discover new products and designs. Additionally, shoppers can easily mix-and-match products when they are actually there, which is essential when buying for clothing and accessories. Fit, texture, color, and coordination are critical to a successful shopping experience.

This is generally what people find lacking with e-commerce. Often for online purchasers, the e-commerce experience is not a shopping experience, it is a buying one. Retailers need to learn what the foundation of a real shopping experience is, which is detailed in our white paper The Business Case for Dynamic Imaging.

Improving Online Shopping with Dynamic Imaging

So how can online shopping be improved? With the help of dynamic imaging.

Dynamic imaging is a revolutionary, high-performance way to process and deliver images for the web to enable interactive visual merchandising online. With dynamic imaging, businesses can establish their online presence while maintaining the appeal of a brick-and-mortar store.

Very few companies have the capability to provide authentic dynamic imaging. But with the right dynamic imaging solutions, e-commerce sites can:

• Evolve their product images beyond the traditional 2D space
• Allow customers to explore and interact with their products in-depth
• Personalize and customize their product showcases according to customer preferences
• Connect with their customers and build beneficial relationships
• Generate more conversions, leading to increased sales, revenue, and ROI

To understand further how dynamic imaging can specifically provide these benefits, read The Business Case for Dynamic Imaging white paper here.