Why your retail store needs a good web site, even if you don't do e-commerce.

Thanks to Holly at GrokDotCom for finding this article on SearchEngineWatch.

Media measurement company, Nielsen Online, conducted a survey to examine the relationship between online research and offline purchases. They found that 80% of participants who had recently bought consumer electronics from a brick and mortar store whose site they visited first.

  • 53% bought from the site where they spent the most time.
  • 58% would choose the internet if they could only use one channel to conduct product research on consumer electronics. Only 25% chose the brick and mortar store.

I get asked all the time about the importance of having more than just a first generation "my nephew built it" web site for your LOCAL clothing store, plumbing shop, cafe, bank, insurance agency, etc. My answer is always, "I can’t believe it’s 2008 and you’re still asking that question. " But, some people will only listen to the numbers.

The numbers are still speaking. They haven’t changed their minds. I can help you.

3 thoughts on “Why your retail store needs a good web site, even if you don't do e-commerce.

  1. Casey

    With gas prices rising people prefer to check online before making the trek into town (or across town) to make sure the store has the products they want. These days it is much easier to make a quick search online than to search through an extremely big yellow pages phone book. Although brick and mortar stores still play a large role in the actual purchase it’s the website that brings a lot of the customers.
    Having a website is definitely important and can offer much more than contact information. It’s not expensive to build a website and you can advertise products, product information, and special sales and discounts. Having a website brings you the customers you want (online or offline) and increases your sales.

    Reply
  2. Fernando Silanes

    Well, this is a historic mind posture of a lot of people.
    A website is today one of most important tool of communication and client catching. It’s important the next step, change the mind of the consumers from spend to inversion.

    Make a website is not for everybody, is not sit and copy and paste. There’s a lot of Professionals making great design jobs.

    // http://www.fernandosilanes.com

    Reply
  3. Joachim

    I couldn’t agree more on the importance of having a website for businesses, if they are or not selling online. I actually think that every brand (including individuals) should have an online presence (website, blog, profile…), because the internet is a virtual world, in which people spend more and more time. If they can’t see you virtually, there are many chances that they won’t think of you “really”…

    Joachim
    Blogger of www,scanningmarketing.blogspot.com

    Reply

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