The concept of retail stores or the brick and mortar model has been in existence from time immemorial. But with digitization spreading like forest fire around the globe, new models of trade and commerce famously termed as e-tail has taken birth. Like two sides of a coin, both retail and e-tail have their respective perks and drawbacks. While ease and convenience are the key factors that give e-commerce an edge over retail stores, the lack of touch and feel and the risk involved is significant drawback of going digital. What are the other critical points of difference between these two models of shopping? Let us find out:
Personal Assistance
Many times, especially while shopping for clothes or electronics at retail stores, we seek assistance from the store consultant for opinions and more information about the products before making a purchase. This is one of the key factors lacking in the case of an e-tail model. While making a purchase online, the customers have to go by the information given on the online shopping portal and trust their intuitions to make the right purchase decision.
Deals and Offers
As you may be aware, the cost of setting up retail stores are much higher when compared to that of e-commerce. This is one of the primary reasons why you will find more attractive price cuts and offers in an online shopping platform when compared to retail stores selling the same products. For the price conscious customers, the digital shopping model is nothing less than a boon.
The Conversion Rates
Digitization has given birth to new models of marketing and advertising as well. Though in many cases, online advertisements have been found to have a comparatively more extensive reach, the conversion rates of e-commerce sites are much lesser. In a regular retail store, out of the number of customers who walk in, the conversion rate or the sale rate is much higher when compared to the e-tail platform.
The Power of Choice
The players in the e-tail platforms widely exploit the benefits of low set-up costs by giving the customers a wide range of choices and options, which is not very feasible in the case of retail stores. This makes online platforms of shopping more attractive and convenient for customers when compared to retail outlets where the alternatives available to them are limited.
