E-commerce Tips & Tricks

6 min read

02 May 2023

The Battle for Your Shopping Cart: Will eCommerce Dominate Physical Stores?

Shopping is an essential part of our lives. We all love to shop for clothes, shoes, electronics, and much more.

For many years, we have been shopping at physical stores, but eCommerce has become an increasingly popular way to shop with the advent of technology. As technology advances and consumer behavior changes, the battle between eCommerce and physical retail stores has become more pronounced.

Many consumers have shifted to online shopping due to its convenience and wide product selection. While others still prefer traditional brick-and-mortar stores for their tangible shopping experience and expert advice.

In this article, we'll explore the advantages of eCommerce over a physical store and vice versa. We'll also look at current shopping trends and what the future of shopping in e commerce sector may look like.

Let's dive in.

Advantages of online stores over physical retail stores
Advantages of physical stores over eCommerce
Current trends in shopping behavior

Advantages of online stores over physical retail stores

Before we dive into whether eCommerce sales can really dominate physical stores.

Now let us look at online stores' advantages over retail stores.

Convenience and accessibility

One of the biggest advantages of eCommerce is the convenience and accessibility it provides. With online shopping, you can shop from anywhere, anytime, and from any device.

There are no long lines, no parking hassles, and no crowds to deal with. Online shops are available 24/7, and you can shop in the comfort of your own home or even on the go.

Wide variety of products

Another advantage of eCommerce is the wide variety of products available.

Online stores have a greater product selection than physical stores, and you can find niche products that may not be available in your local stores.

With eCommerce, you can easily compare prices and features of different products and read reviews from other customers before purchasing.

Personalization

eCommerce also offers a personalized shopping experience. By creating a user account, you can save your preferences, and the store can offer personalized product recommendations based on your shopping history.

You can also customize your shopping experience, from the store's layout to the types of products you see.

And that shows why a lot of people prefer online shopping.

Now, let's look at the...

Advantages of physical stores over eCommerce

Now that you know the advantages of online stores, let's look at the advantages of a physical store.

Tangibility

One of the advantages of physical stores is the ability to touch and feel the products before making a purchase.

You can try on clothes and shoes and see how they fit and feel. You can also see the actual size and color of products, which can be difficult to judge in online sales.

Expert advice

Another advantage of physical shops is the ability to ask salespeople for advice.

They can provide you with product demonstrations and trials and give you their expert opinion on the products.

This can be helpful when buying products like electronics or appliances, where you may need help understanding the features and functions.

Fulfillment

Finally, physical shops offer immediate fulfillment. There is no waiting time for shipping, and you can take the products home with you immediately.

This can be especially important when you need a product right away or when you want to avoid the extra cost of shipping.

Those are the reasons why others prefer online websites over brick and mortar stores.

Now that you know both advantages, you must also know the current trends in customers' shopping behavior.

Current trends in shopping behavior

The way people shop has evolved dramatically over the past decade due to the rapid growth of e-commerce and technological advancements.

Here are some current trends in online shopping sites' behavior:

Online shopping

People use the internet to buy things more often now. This is especially true during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is likely that people will keep shopping for online purchases because it is easy, and there are many products to choose from.

In recent years, there has been a significant increase in online shopping. More and more people are choosing to shop online due to the convenience and accessibility it provides.

Mobile shopping

People use their phones to shop e commerce stores more now. Stores make it easier for people to shop on their phones by making special apps and websites.

Social media shopping

People also shop on social media. Stores use social media to show people their full inventory of products and offer discounts.

Traditional shopping

Despite the rise of online shopping, traditional shopping still remains popular. Many people still prefer to shop in a physical store.

Especially for products that require hands-on experience, such as clothing or furniture.

The shift toward a hybrid model

There is also a shift towards a hybrid model commerce stores, where retailers offer both eCommerce and physical store options. This allows customers to choose the shopping experience that best suits their needs.

Personalization

People like to feel special when they shop. Stores use data and computers to give people personalized shopping experiences based on what they have bought before.

Sustainability

People care more about the environment now. They want to buy things that are good for the earth. Stores are starting to sell more eco-friendly products.

Buy online, pick up in-store (BOPIS)

People can buy online, pick up in-store (BOPIS). This is a good option for people who do not want to wait for shipping.

Subscription services

People can sign up for monthly services that give them things like makeup or meals. This is a convenient way to try new products.

These ways of shopping will probably continue to be popular in the future. People want shopping to be easy, personal, and good for the earth.

And that's why you need to...

Take advantage of the future of shopping!

It's clear that eCommerce is here to stay and will continue to grow.

It's likely that the future of shopping will involve continued growth in eCommerce and an increased emphasis on the importance of physical stores in store purchases. This could involve a hybrid model, where customers use both eCommerce and physical stores to meet their shopping needs.

We may see a rise in experiential retail, where physical stores offer immersive and engaging experiences to entice customers to come and shop.

While eCommerce is set to continue growing, it's important to remember that physical stores still have a valuable role to play in the future of shopping. As consumers, we can use eCommerce and physical stores to meet our needs and preferences.

So whether you're shopping online or in store, make sure to enjoy the experience and get the most out of your purchases.

Learn more about the future of shopping through Debutify's podcast!

Author

Diane Eunice Narciso

Diane Eunice Narciso is a content marketer, strategist, and writer who's skilled and passionate about marketing, social media, eCommerce, etc. And is also an expert in sales and business development nurturing strategic partnerships and collaborations.