Online is changing customer behavior even in brick-and-mortar stores. 65 % people are looking for a better price on the spot via mobile phone

Is online shopping really more prevalent than brick-and-mortar shopping today? Aren't those merchants who have a brick-and-mortar store in addition to an e-shop winning today? How many people actually buy from them in a brick-and-mortar store? These and other questions were answered by an extensive Consumer Survey by Acomware and Zásilkovny.

Up to 65 % people compare prices on your e-shop or competitor's on the spot via mobile phone while viewing goods in a brick-and-mortar store. And 37 % people admitted that they come to see the store, but complete the purchase at another merchant.

Over 33 % respondents stated that they no longer need to physically touch the goods before buying on the Internet in a brick-and-mortar store and they buy it immediately online. Of course, it depends on the product range. In the segment of large appliances, furniture, jewelry and watches, people remain more loyal to brick-and-mortar stores.

More than 53 % customers said that visiting a brick-and-mortar store and being able to touch the goods helped them to make a decision and final purchase, 10 % people even later bought products that they had not thought about at all on the salesperson's recommendation. But be careful, the fact that potential customers come to the store does not mean that they will automatically leave their money there or in the e-shop.

I will look at you, I will buy elsewhere. What with this?

"Up 37 % people admitted that even though they come to look at the goods in the brick-and-mortar store one seller, completes the purchase at another merchant. This happens most often in the segment of pet supplies, consumer electronics, small appliances and household goods. 17 % respondents then admitted that visiting a brick-and-mortar store helped them at least narrow down their choices," says David Vurma, CEO of the Acomware marketing agency.

In addition, every year there is a significant increase in the number of people who, when buying goods in a brick-and-mortar store, compare the prices with the e-shop of the merchant or with competitors on the spot via mobile phone. Almost 65 % respondents are already comparing from the point of sale.

"Many companies can use this more effectively in marketing, for example, by cleverly engaging SMS marketing or geolocation, they can be more effectively motivated to buy with an interesting offer supplemented, for example, with a discount or other loyalty benefits," says David Vurma.

Whole 73 % customers rate it negatively when a brick-and-mortar store does not have its own online store. "That's a really high number. For many companies, the expansion of brick-and-mortar stores with the possibility of online shopping represents not only an increase in sales, but also a way to long-term care for customer satisfaction and building a positive relationship with them," adds Vurma.

Customer care? That's what's going on here and will be going on for years to come

It's no secret that due to the high rate of inflation and the economic situation, people today shop carefully and appreciate various interesting discount offers. And they also expect greater rewards for customer loyalty from companies. According to the survey, up to 81 % respondents are bothered when the prices on the e-shop and in the brick-and-mortar store are different. Even 83 % was not satisfied with the fact that the loyalty card cannot be used in the online store like on a stone branch. Even more people, specifically 95 %, are not satisfied when they cannot return goods purchased in an online store or make a complaint in a brick-and-mortar branch of the seller.

"These numbers offer companies interesting information about consumer wants and needs. They can be a very good inspiration for companies to improve their customer retention. Again it turns out that customer care will play a major role in the coming years, both in the online and offline worlds. The companies themselves must react to this as soon as possible. If they don't, it's very easy for their customers to go to the competition. Companies still significantly underestimate the communication of their competitive advantages within the framework of building a relationship with the customer and often prefer a purely performance concept of marketing, which, however, creates a minimal relationship with the brand," adds David Vurma.

More and more customers are also demanding greater convenience in the delivery of goods. "Up 70 % respondents were bothered when they lack a branch or delivery point near their place of work. Therefore, it is important to constantly expand and optimize the network of delivery points and to be as close as possible to the customer. Automatic dispensing boxes, where people are not limited by opening hours, have recently gained great popularity. Currently, we have almost 3,700 of them in the Czech Republic. It plays a big role speed of delivery of goods, which is crucial for 89 % respondents, the price for transporting goods is again key for 96% respondents," says Milan Šmíd, Marketing Director from Zásilkovna.

The consumer survey has been taking place regularly for several years since 2014, this time it was conducted among more than 1,000 respondents in the age category of 15+ across the entire Czech Republic. He mainly investigated attitudes towards shopping on the Internet and in brick-and-mortar stores, the main motivations and barriers to shopping, requirements for communication with e-shops and carriers, and interest in technological innovations when shopping online. The Faculty of Business Administration of the University of Economics participated in the research methodology.

Media Contact:
Jitka Gráfová: Marketing Communications Manager Acomware, jitka.grafova@fdb188.com

About Acomware
Acomware is a marketing agency for e-commerce and digital marketing. It has been operating on the market for 20 years and helps companies achieve the best possible results in its environment. It increases sales, builds new brands or improves customer care. It prepares personalized campaigns directly tailored to customers, creates content that catches the eye, shoots video spots, takes care of clients' social networks and ensures the purchase of media space. The company's services are used by retail chains, e-shops and manufacturing companies. The Czech e-commerce scene is a home for Acomware, which it is actively trying to develop and cultivate. He participates in the development and implementation of new tools and technologies, trains experts and enthusiasts. He is the organizer of the Eshopista series of networking events. More at fdb188.com.

About the company Zásilkovna
Zásilkovna is a purely Czech franchise logistics-technological project of the founder Simona Kijonková, which was established in 2010. Since then, it has developed into one of the most successful companies in the Czech Republic that provides comprehensive logistics-technological services for online stores. Today, the shipping company is part of the 14 companies of the Packeta holding, which operates in 8 countries and delivers to 34 countries. Holding Packet is managed by Simona Kijonková. The courier company also operates a successful Mezi Nami service for delivering parcels between individuals. In 2020, Packeta launched Z-BOXes, ecological automatic dispensing boxes. Their number exceeded 6,000 installations, in addition to the Czech Republic, they also operate in Slovakia and Hungary. Packeta currently has more than 15,000 own points of sale (more than 9,000 VMs in the Czech Republic), more than 140,000 partner points of sale and cooperates with more than 46,000 e-shops. The turnover of the group in 2021 was 4.9 billion crowns, the number of shipments transported was 73.2 million pieces. More at www.zasilkovna.cz / www.packeta.com.