Internet challenging traditional retail sales for Hi Tech consumer products
According to market research company GfK
Marketing Services, the Internet has not only established itself as a
significant channel across all consumer technology markets, but is also
growing at a faster rate than sales on the high street.
Source and full story: Retail Bulletin
With my web design and usability hat on, it would make sense to make sure that your [on-line] shop is in order. The only difference being that you don’t want to put bread all the way at the back of the shop so people browse the other aisles - because they won’t on-line - get in, get out as quickly as possible.
In fact, you can’t help wonder that if Amazon ran Tescos, they would be saying… People who bought bread also bought butter and cheese….it’s here on the very next shelf!.
Comment by Chris Peason April 6, 2006 @ 5:15 pm
Its one way to look at it but why do hifi shops still have sound booths, why do some retail stores have a Connected Home concept?? The answer is simple, the consumer wants to touch and see the product in a setting that makes them feel ‘at home’. The Internet purchasing experience works well for commoditised goods, hence the 1st wave of books / CD’s etc. What we see now is the next commodity wave of products like Mp3, memory media and even LCD / Plasma screens move into this area.
Retail needs to get its act together in order and start making their stores an experience. Consumers still want to touch, smell and enjoy the chemical brain rush of parting with real cash in a retail store.
Comment by Craig Killick April 7, 2006 @ 9:16 am
I agree Chris. Challenging times require new thoughts. The Retail Experience needs to change to compete. It seems that anything ‘new’ isn’t really that new:
http://www.theretailbulletin.com/index.php?page=5&id=8182&cat=desi
It’s all about differentiation:
http://theescape.typepad.com/blog/2006/04/how_to_differen.html