A new research from Google & Ipsos found that 80% of shoppers will research online for holidays shopping before making a purchase this season, and they switch devices to suit their needs.
“For example, 51% of shoppers will research online and then visit
the store to purchase, while 17% will visit a store first and then
purchase online. Another 32% will research online, visit store to view a
product, then return online to purchase. In short, the shopper’s
journey looks less like a funnel and more like a flight map, and the
lines between online and offline shopping experiences are blurring.” says Google Retail Industry Director, Todd Pollak.
This integration of the online and offline experiences offers great opportunities but also brings with it risks for all brands / retailers who are focussed on any one of the two formats. It is important to have a "hybrid" commerce strategy.
