Any
retailer who isn’t using the online channel to promote offline sales—as
well as online sales—is missing a sizable opportunity.
”Today, online consumers think nothing of shopping across a
retailer’s stores, Web site and catalog,” says Jeffrey Grau, eMarketer
Senior Analyst and author of the new report, Multi Channel Retailing, “As a consequence, online product research is driving more in-store sales than online sales.”
Last year, eMarketer estimated that store sales influenced by online
research totaled $471 billion. Comparatively, retail e-commerce sales
were only $136 billion.
Looked at another way, for every $1 in online sales, the Internet influenced $3.45 of store sales.
”Online consumers are becoming precision shoppers,” says Mr. Grau.
“They are availing themselves of the wealth of information resources
online to discover and evaluate products, compare them and find where
they can be purchased.”
Mounting research shows that a significant percentage of store purchases are influenced by online product research.
According to eMarketer estimates, combined Web-influenced store
sales and retail e-commerce sales accounted for 15% of retail sales in
2007. By 2012, the percentage will nearly double to 28%.
