Shoppers prefer in-store experiences, despite e-commerce boom

London - The death of brick and mortar stores is a long way away, according to new research from Walker Sands Communications. In their annual Future of Retail Report, Walker Sands noted that despite the rise of ecommerce, customers still prefer an in-store experience. Aside from books, electronics and office supplies, a majority of people are partial to shopping in a physical store.

The report, which tracks changes in technology and how consumers respond to them, surveyed more than 1,400 U.S. consumers, revealing surprising predictions about the growing importance of supply chains and future of retail, noted the online edition of Entrepreneur.

Technology is shaping customers purchasing decisions

Walkers Sands Vice President of Retail Technology Practise Dave Parro says technology is shaping consumers' purchasing decisions and the future is about merging online and in-store shopping experiences.

Although people might prefer to shop in stores, there’s been a year-over-year increase in the frequency of online purchases since 2014. Today, nearly a third of consumers say they shop online at least once a week, a 41 percent increase from two years ago.

Improvements in the supply chain are helping fuel this growth, as consumers demand fast and reliable ways to purchase and receive items. With Amazon and third-party logistics providers improving inventory management practices and fulfillment and delivery procedures, frequent online shoppers expect a variety of shipping options such as same-day and overnight delivery.

The main incentive for shopping online is 1 day delivery and free shipping

The main incentives to shop online today are free shipping, one-day shipping and free returns. Nine in 10 consumers admit that free shipping make them more likely to shop online.

This holiday season, most shoppers (76 percent) plan to do their shipping through their smartphones or tablets because of convenience. Websites such as Amazon and eBay will be the most popular sites, according to a report by AMEX. On average, shoppers -- online and in stores.

Walker Sands predicts that the physical and online shopping worlds will eventually collide. Brick-and-mortar stores are beginning to incorporate mobile technology to improve in-store experiences by offering discounts, coupons and loyalty rewards programs. The agency also predicts virtual reality technology will provide “in-store” ecommerce experiences.

Photo credit:Walker Sands Future of Retail