Showrooming: Threat To Retailers?- Valutrics
How Big A Threat Is Showrooming?
Depends on whom you ask – some retailers are terrified of the shopper who pulls out their mobile phone in order toparison-shop online. The customer’s logic is simple, why buy from the local store if you can get it cheaper online?
Other retailers feel less threatened by showrooming – they know their customers have always beenparison shoppers, it’s just that now the process is much more efficient. Instead of spending an entire day driving from store to storeparing prices, consumers can explore their buying choices much faster online.
How Are Retailers Responding To Showrooming?
According to a benchmark survey on mobile in retail conducted by RSR Research, responses vary widely:
- 37% of respondents say that they respond to showrooming by trying to bepetitive on price
- 32% say they haven’t seen a problem with showrooming
- 13% stick their heads in the sand and ignore it
- 13% try to match the online price
- 5% actually try to beat the online price
Why Such A Wide Array Of Responses?
Some of it may be attributable to what type of products a retailer is selling. Classic impulse purchases, like a tempting array of chocolates, are less vulnerable to showrooming because a hungry consumer does not want to order online and wait several days for the product to be delivered.
Big-ticket purchases are more likely to be researched online, particularly if it is a mass-market product that is available from a variety of retail outlets. TVs, home appliances, and consumer electronics are particularly vulnerable to showrooming.
But don’t forget that while some consumers are doing theirparison shopping in-store before purchasing online, there are others for whom the path to purchase runs in the opposite direction.
Some consumers do theirparison shopping online before heading to a store where they can purchase the item from a retailer they trust to be there tomorrow if they need service or support.
It Comes Down To A Matter Of Trust
Now that the proliferation of mobile devices has made it so easy toparison shop across channels, retailers must focus on building a relationship of trust if they want to win the sale.
If the consumer can’t count on you to offer them a fair deal, it is all too easy for them to find someone else who will.
Nikki Baird, Managing Partner at RSR Research suggests these three basic tactics for laying a foundation of trust:
1. Maintain consistent pricing across all channels
For years retailers have averaged their margin across categories, so don’t fall prey to the argument that brick-and-mortar stores have a different cost structure than online. Consistency is vital to building a relationship of trust with the consumer, yet only 15% of respondents said they maintained the same price online and in-store.
2. Make it easy for consumers at the shelf to shop your online offerings
If the consumer finds a limited selection on the shelf she is going to pull out her mobile device to see what others have to offer. Few retailers make any effort to direct the consumer to their online store, yet a simple sign with a QR code can easily direct her to your site rather than apetitor.
3. Make it easy topare products in your online store by providing reviews and side-by-sideparisons
The number one reason that consumers pull out their phones is to get ratings and reviews. In addition to consistent pricing, make it easy for consumers topare product features and shopper reviews. Consumers are savvy about weighing conflicting opinions – they know that a negative feature for one shopper can be a reason to purchase for another.
Look For Opportunities To Improve The Customer Experience
While there will always be shoppers who “cherry pick” products based on price alone, the vast majority of shoppers consider showrooming a matter of trust. They expect retailers to offer a good deal along with the information they need to choose the product that best suits their needs.
By leveraging the consumer’s mobile device to provide product information at the right time along with a fair price, they can reduce the threat of showrooming and improve the customer experience.
To learn more about the impact of mobile on retail and how to use the right mix of technologyponents to engage customers and build loyalty, be sure to check out the Mobile Commerce Guide from SAP (registration required).
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