The State Of The Store

June 2012 Integrated Solutions For Retailers

By Paula Rosenblum, managing partner, RSR Research 

According to RSR’s Store Benchmark Report, until computing can offer the tactile and immediate satisfaction of a store visit, most consumers will continue to consummate their purchases in the store.

Even as retailers struggle to improve the in-store customer experience and combat the phenomenon known as “showrooming,” it has also become apparent that the land-based channel isn’t going away any time soon. Until computing can offer the tactile and immediate satisfaction of a store visit, a majority of consumers will continue to consummate their purchases in the store. And, until some retailer cracks the code on grocery home delivery, supermarkets will remain consistent destinations. In any case, customers need stores as part of their path to purchase.

This leaves us with a fundamental question: How can technology, which has been a mixed blessing for land-based retailers, support the next generation of retail stores?