E-Commerce Is Growing, But Customers Still Prefer Shopping In Stores

Even with the rise of e-commerce, nothing beats an in-store shopping experience. Aside from books, electronics and office supplies, a majority of people still prefer to shop in a physical store, according to the Walker Sands Future of Retail 2016 report. The report, which surveyed more than 1,400 U.S. consumers, revealed surprising predictions about the growing importance of supply chains and future of retail. Although people might prefer to shop in stores, there’s been a year-over-year increase in the frequency of online purchases since 2014. Today, nearly a third of consumers say they shop online at least once a week — a 41 percent increase from two years ago. Improvements in the supply chain are helping fuel this growth, as consumers demand fast and reliable ways to purchase and receive items. With Amazon and third-party logistics providers improving inventory management practices and fulfillment and delivery procedures, frequent online shoppers expect a variety of shipping options such as same-day and overnight delivery. The main incentives to shop online today are free shipping, one-day shipping and free returns. Nine in 10 consumers admit that free shipping make them more likely to shop online. Read more at Entrepreneur.