I have often read about the so-called “prophecy” that brick and mortar shops are failing due to the emergence of E-commerce.
However, that doesn’t seem to be the case as developers are building more shopping malls with 90% tenancy rate. So why is it that at the end of the day, consumers still opt to shop in the mall?
Unless sales are going on over the internet, here is why I think that brick and mortar shops are still important.
You get to try out the product first
Who doesn’t want to try the product first before they buy? While online stores provide convenient shopping experience, the majority would still want to have a look at the actual product first before buying. On top of that, you can test the product to your liking before deciding to buy.
Getting your stock immediately
Remember the excitement you have when you purchased a new item and got it on the spot? Rather than waiting and worrying about your shipment, you can check your things on the spot before buying.
After all, why rely on delivery by a third party if it is expensive stuff? There is still trust issue when it comes to shipping luxury items. And if it is too cheap, it is not worth shipping over as the cost of delivery is more expensive than the product you are buying.
No Shipping fee
Not all online shop provides free shipping, and even if it does, you would have to purchase a certain value of a product before you are entitled to free shipping.
If you were to buy it directly from the physical store, you would save the shipping fee especially if you need to purchase loose items or heavy products.
You get to personalise your shopping experience
While this only occurs at high-end boutiques, the experience of a concierge attending to your needs does makes everything different compared to facing to a screen. No online experience could pamper you the way a human touch could offer.
This kind of shopping euphoria is uncommon amongst the masses as it is catered to the higher echelon of the society.
Should you shop online?
Yes, you should. But it depends on the items that you are buying and its service that you are seeking. Not every purchase made is good through online as you may have product and shipment fault if not careful enough.
How it should be
Brick and mortar shops and online shops are supposed to be a compliment to each other instead of trying to steal its market share.
Co-existing with e-commerce only encourages business owners to be a better strategist: to strategize between having more shops for expansion or penetrating overseas market through its online platform.