![\"c26ropo1a\"](\"http:\/\/content26.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/c26ropo1a.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nIn the past couple of years, there has been a lot of nervous chatter in the retail industry<\/a> surrounding showrooming\u2013an increasingly popular activity where a smartphone-assisted shopper will size up a physical product in store, often going on to buy it for cheaper online.<\/p>\n But as we\u2019ve covered on this blog, the trend also works in reverse<\/a>: consumers are using ecommerce sites to research items before they buy them in stores. Dubbed webrooming, this activity is\u00a0already driving retail sales<\/a> in some quarters. And as we\u2019ll explore, brick-and-mortar shops who harness this trend could offset some of the disruptive consequences of ecommerce<\/a>.<\/p>\n Below, we\u2019ve corralled some links that will help you understand how webrooming works, why it could be revitalizing to in-store retail, and how a smarter omnichannel content approach<\/a>\u00a0could help your brand reap benefits.<\/p>\n In the ever-accelerating dash towards faster ecommerce and shinier digital gadgetry, you could easily get the impression that brick-and-mortar stores are entering their cultural twilight. The data seems to confirm it: in-store retail sales are slumping, and the slump will only deepen as shoppers becomes more Internet savvy. Meanwhile, the number of digital shoppers in the US continues to swell:<\/p>\n Retailers Look for Digital Magic as In-Store Sales Decline<\/strong><\/a> \u2013 The Wall Street Journal<\/p>\n Online Shopping by the Numbers [Infographic]<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0\u2013 Forbes<\/p>\n Extrapolate on these trends, and it isn\u2019t too hard to imagine a future where physical stores are viewed as little more than an antique curiosity \u2013 much like typewriters, VHS tapes, or any number of other bygone analog technologies.<\/p>\n But for the time being, physical stores still hold some pretty clear pragmatic advantages over digital ones. For starters, they allow for a more intimate level of interaction with products than e-commerce sites: there\u2019s no digital replacement for trying on a new shirt, after all. And there\u2019s reason to believe that these spatial advantages still hold weight with consumers. A U.S. census showed that more than\u00a090% of shoppers still do their shopping in stores:<\/p>\n Quarterly Retail E-Commerce Sales<\/strong><\/a> \u2013 U.S. Census<\/p>\n Even more, the tension between the ecommerce and in-store retail industries might be simmering down. There\u2019s growing evidence that the boundary between in-store and online commerce is beginning to crumble:<\/p>\n The Difference Between In-Store and Online-Shopping is Shrinking Fast<\/strong><\/a> \u2013 Bloomreach<\/p>\n In 2015, a projected 64% of all in-store sales will be digitally influenced (compared to 49% in 2014):<\/p>\n Capitalizing on Digital Influence in Retail<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Deloitte Digital<\/p>\n Generally speaking, consumers have adapted to the digital age of commerce far more quickly than the brands they\u2019re buying. Their decision-making process has radically changed<\/a>. Today, the average shopper is able to seamlessly shift between physical and digital retail spaces, weighing information from a number\u00a0of cross-platform sources before finally arriving at a buying decision.<\/p>\n The result is an entirely new shopping landscape, where ROPO is quickly becoming the norm.<\/p>\n A study across 12 countries revealed that consumers worldwide are using cross-platform information to enhance their in-store shopping experience:<\/p>\n Connected Commerce<\/strong><\/a> \u2013 DigitasLBi\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n A handy infographic breaking down the demographics behind the ROPO effect:<\/p>\n A Retailer\u2019s Guide to Webrooming<\/strong><\/a> \u2013 Cayan<\/p>\n 78% of consumers had webroomed during the 12 months preceding this study:<\/p>\n Webrooming: Online Retail\u2019s Latest Challenge<\/strong><\/a> \u2013 <\/strong>Wiser<\/p>\n Forrester estimates that webrooming will result in $1.8 trillion in sales by 2017, versus $1.2 trillion in 2012:<\/p>\n Study Shows Prevalence of Consumer \u201cWebrooming\u201d<\/strong><\/a> \u2013 Adweek<\/p>\n A study examining how mobile-assisted shoppers use online content to scope out offline deals:<\/p>\n The Rise of Mobile-Assisted Shoppers<\/strong><\/a> \u2013<\/strong> Columbia Business School<\/p>\n Depending on which study you follow, showrooming is currently practiced by 65% or more of shoppers. And what\u2019s more, ecommerce has created a new, more mindful consumer, damaging the retail industry\u2019s ability to profit on customer impulse<\/a>.<\/p>\n But take a closer look, and a different picture emerges, one that reveals consumers who still prefer making purchases in-store. According to the Cayan infographic listed above, webrooming has eclipsed showrooming in popularity. The study shows that\u00a09 in 10\u00a0showroomers have webroomed, while only 6 in 10 webroomers have showroomed.<\/p>\n These articles support the narrative:<\/p>\n 88% of Shoppers Are Webrooming<\/strong><\/a> \u2013 Retail Touch Points<\/p>\n Webrooming Overtakes Showrooming in Popularity<\/strong><\/a> \u2013 Retail Info Systems News<\/p>\n Why Webrooming Could Bring Customers Back Into Stores<\/strong><\/a> \u2013 <\/strong>Business News Daily<\/p>\n How can brands and retailers take full advantage of webrooming, given its potential to boost sales? They can start by ensuring they\u2019re established across all platforms, both online and offline. Many businesses are already experimenting with multichannel approaches, the most outlandish of which resemble something out of Minority Report<\/em>:<\/p>\n Beacon Technology Offers Plenty of Opportunities for Retailers<\/strong><\/a> \u2013 <\/strong>The Guardian<\/p>\n But brands can achieve the same effect simply by ensuring that their online content is consistently superb.<\/p>\n A Nielsen survey reveals a high correlation between online browsing and buying intention:<\/p>\n E-Commerce: Evolution or Revolution in the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods World?<\/strong><\/a> \u2013<\/strong> Nielsen<\/p>\n Luxury good sales are particularly sensitive to digital influence and webrooming:<\/p>\n Luxury in 2020: Extra Spending Generated by Digital to Double<\/strong><\/a> \u2013 Econsultancy<\/p>\n Need we say it again? An omnichannel approach is an essential part of attracting\u00a0the modern consumer:<\/p>\n Creating a Strategy for Integrated In-Store Digital Retail<\/strong><\/a> \u2013 Smart Insights<\/p>\nThe Narrowing Digital Divide: Background<\/h2>\n
ROPO Effect by the Numbers<\/h2>\n
Webrooming Is a Ripe Opportunity for Retailers<\/h2>\n
Tipping the Scales With Omnichannel Content<\/h2>\n