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Integration Of Web & Retails Stores, i.e. Multiple Channels, Leads To Success For Many
By Sanjay Sharma, Section News
Posted on Wed Dec 15, 2004 at 02:38:27 AM EST
According to data from Reston, Va.-based Internet consultant comScore Networks, an analysis of the online sales performance of 25 major United States retailers shows aggregate online spending is up more than 50 percent from the corresponding days last year, more than doubling the performance of the overall Internet-based retail sector. The 24-hour availability of online shopping, coupled with the prevalence of free shipping, in-store pick-ups, more realistic Web graphics and greater use of broadband connections is also likely to drive growth, analysts say.
?The combination of online and physical stores is the right combination for retailers, and that?s something we?ve been saying for a long time,? said Adam Sarner, an e-commerce analyst at technology research firm Gartner. The Web has become part of our regular way of buying stuff.
- ?The Web as become a huge influence for consumers? transactions,? Sarner said.
- ?People do research online, and
- then go to a store to buy,
- so sales are being driven to stores from Web sites, and that?s not always something that?s considered,? he said, adding that
- some 25 percent of all retail sales are influenced by a retailer?s Web site.
This holiday season there has been a strong desire on the part of Web shoppers for the sorts of products ?big box? retailers offer, including
- apparel,
- furniture,
- garden products and
- home appliances.
(Click on "Full Story" for more.)
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The reason for the standout online performance of Big-Item retailers:
- Many of the nation?s best-known brand names from the offline world have made significant strides in developing their online businesses in recent years, launching major site redesigns and offering a wider array of product categories notes Graham Mudd, a senior analyst at comScore. ?Basically, the big-name retailers have finally got their act together online,? said Mudd. ?They?ve done a good job of integrating all their channels ? the Internet, their stores, advertising, marketing and catalogs ? and they have really improved the ability to do research for a product on their sites, so there?s much more flexibility for the customer.?
- Big-name retailers like Wal-Mart and Best Buy are gaining on their Internet-based rivals by developing a holistic approach to retailing, integrating their ?bricks and mortar? stores, catalog businesses and Web sites to create a continuous shopping experience for consumers across all channels. ?Retailers realize that, although you might want to do your research for a product online, you might also want to go to a store to examine it, especially if it?s an expensive product like a flat-screen television,? Grandinetti said.
- The idea is to create a set of services that will foster a sense of loyalty with the customer, Grandinetti said, and so retailers are beefing up their product search capabilities, and they are developing systems that allow customers to order a product online, and then pick it up, or return it, at a physical store. ?The leading retailers are finally embracing this, and it?s one of the hottest trends in the software industry right now,? he said.
From msnbc.com - December 14, 2004 - By Roland Jones
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6711347/
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