The Smart Lab: Foot Traffic Down? Digital Influence Up

In 2010, digital was changing the in-store shopping experience in ways that were yet to be understood. Many believed online shopping would never grow significantly and couldn’t foresee it as a threat to physical store sales, but data showed otherwise.

By the end of 2015, more than 70 percent of all in-store sales were influenced by digital, while the number of actual store-goers decreased 60 percent when compared to 2010.

The truth is, digital has reshaped customer behavior and shopping for good, and that’s something retailers should be paying attention to while adjusting their business to this reality.

Many jewelry business owners are still reluctant about investing in digital, much of which is due to the fact that they simply don’t know how.

Ah-Ha Moment
I love showing the chart seen above as it’s really hits a cord with many retailers. I always hear retailers say, “My traffic is down; long gone are the days of customers waiting in line to buy.”

So I ask, are your sales up since 2010? Yes, most reply; so again I ask, how could that be if the lines are no more? And that’s the “Ah-ha” moment; customers are shopping online first, and then coming in to buy.

A consumer no longer goes from store to store shopping, they’re now “browsing” online store to store, and then going to a store to buy.

Consumers Are Still Buying
Consumers are getting more and more demanding; they want exactly what they are looking for and will not settle for anything less. On that matter, a quick web search on your browser is easier and faster than a visit to the mall.

Considering those facts, we can see that the competition is also changing.

A store’s biggest threat may not be the national e-commerce-only player anymore. Digital influence has been rapidly helping small and new businesses grow through creating a strong online presence, delivering quality customer experience and gaining a piece of the market share.

It’s All About Your Customer
Today’s customers are highly digital and have high expectations for what they want while shopping, be it online or in-store. The more integrated and multi-channel your business is, the more likely they are to shop at your store.

Companies are understanding the importance of having touchpoints, both online and offline with their audience; digital is fundamental. The physical store still plays a very important role on influencing a customer’s buying decision.

It is essential for