Public get better ‘sense of brand’ when shopping in store
Research has found that 96 per cent of the public feel that they get a sense of a brand while shopping in store, compared to 72 per cent online.
Carried out by retail training company Beyond The Box, the research found that 20 per cent bought complementary products in store, compared with only seven per cent online.
Christine Knott, managing director at Beyond The Box, said: “The advantage retail stores have over other channels are their staff. Having staff who are motivated and empowered to be brand ambassadors is securing brand buy-in from customers and driving up sales.
“It’s an advantage that needs to be taken seriously by retail brands and must be carefully protected. Great brand marketers are using skilled retail staff to represent their brand with distinction.”
However, the research found that less than half (44 per cent) believed that brick and mortar retailers fully showcased the products available, and that 75 per cent of online shoppers believed that retail staff failed to communicate well.
Knott added: “Retail staff play a significant role in brand building: the need for a ‘human to human’ conversation is the reason many avoid online shopping. However, if the visit doesn’t meet their expectations, what is the point of traveling to the store in the first place? Not only is training the way forward, service is also key in helping in-store retail brands gain a competitive advantage in the new multichannel environment.”