Is eCommerce killing offline retailers? If yes, how will they survive?

People have started buying from online shopping stores, and this has become a trend, these days. There has been a boom an online ecommerce store. The reason being the ease and convenience that these things offer!

If you compare online vs. offline, you will find many benefits with the online platform. Times are changing, and since the pandemic is still ongoing, people will have to be cautious when they go to the local stores.

With all these considerations and the benefits of eCommerce store, you need to know what impact these events have on the offline retail outlets.

Why have online platforms become quite popular than offline ones?

  • With the adoption of the best tools for an ecommerce store, online stores are hi-tech, and they have the perfect combination of technology and buyer’s experience.
  • The younger customers have taken over, and they prefer online shopping via online stores. This has hit retail stores all over the world. If you think that online retail vs. offline retail is something not to be much thought of, then you have to clear this myth. People compare the pros and cons of adopting each option.
  • People trust good and leading online stores. The stores like Desertcart online have a good customer base, so there would be a range of available products.
  • You can check online shopping vs. offline shopping statistics, and this will prove to be the right way to understand what’s going on in the market these days.
  • The online platforms have 24×7 customer service solutions. If there are issues, the customer can always take the help of the customer service department.
  • People need not stand in queues at the stores. Online shopping gives them quick shopping solutions and fast checkout options.

How should offline retail stores save themselves?

The growth of online stores is mainly because of the best tools for ecommerce stores. Technology and marketing strategies are different. Now one would rather shop online for fashion clothes then in store after pandemic. Keeping all these things in mind, if you as a retail seller offline want to adopt these things, it will boost growth! Check details about the benefits of eCommerce store.  Compare online vs. offline with practical points into consideration. This will give you a hint of what needs to be done and how quickly.

Does the buyer still need a personal touch?

The traditional system of buying and selling was based on the personal touch. But now, things have become different. The buyer has awareness about the products and doesn’t have time to listen to anyone’s marketing words. Instead, the buyer these days would prefer reading the online reviews, and this can prove to be an important way to research.

Around 68 percent of the young population wants to shop online and not go to retail stores, as per several surveys. They are tech-savvy, and this makes them a quick online shopper. They are quite busy with their work, and thus, they do not want to take extra time out of their schedule to visit the shop and get things at home personally.

The use of mobile devices has become quite common. Like the number of people holding a smartphone is growing every year, the people shopping online are also growing in that fashion. Countries like Germany, UAE, US, UK, and Spain are much inclined to online shopping.

The businesses have started depending on social media.

The biggest reason why online stores have gained a tremendous boost is that businesses have a dependence on social media for their marketing solutions. This is killing offline retail outlets. It is now time for offline retail outlets to alter their strategies. Looking into the comparative points for online retail vs. offline retail, offline retailers should find out what are things are missing in their system.

New businesses are also coming in the online sector. But these new stores should study the market well and find out the details as to how to run a successful eCommerce store.  Thus, if you consider the points for online vs. offline business, you will realize how things have changed and how the offline corporations are finding it difficult to survive in this race.

Is there a ray of hope?

With the rate at which e-commerce sales are growing, it is tough for offline retail stores to survive. In the UAE, people are shopping online with the shift because of the benefits that it offers, with most people preferring online stores to offline ones, especially during the pandemic. The benefits of eCommerce stores have become quite popular among the buyers and the B2B businesses. Even the traders have started understanding that buying online would be a cheaper option.

Online businesses have fewer overheads, and they offer huge discounts to buyers. E-commerce is holding more power than organized and unorganized retail sales. The offline sellers have to find some powerful solution if they want to survive. If these traditional offline stores come up with the idea of an online experience for the buyers along with the bricks and mortar store, then perhaps there would be a ray of hope.  

Bricks and mortar stores to strategize the way they work

This is, therefore, the time to create new strategies and start implementing them. Business survival will be difficult if the same ideas and theories are used for the years to come. In the future, there has to be a shift in the way these traditional stores perform. The offline stores will survive if they make a survival plan. The plan should be a strong one and should be based on the findings of how the buyers behave and what facilities attract them towards buying a product. Due to busy lifestyles, people have become more prone to ordering items online. Even after the pandemic, these trends might not change because of the convenience and ease that online shopping provides.

Everything changes with time and so the buyers’ needs and attitude too would be different. But they always long for better features, facilities, and experience. If the offline stores are successful in this, it means that they too can be part of the race.

Akash Dwivedi
Akash Dwivedi
Akash Dwivedi is a seasoned Digital Marketing Professional actively working in the field of Online Marketing for a long time. Akash spent the last one and a half decade promoting a large number of websites on search engines through various organic, paid and Social media strategies. He is currently working in the capacity of SEO Head with Desertcart. Akash has rich experience in designing & managing the entire Growth Marketing Plan and Strategy on online businesses. He has worked with many major brands from across the globe and successfully helped them in the business growth. He is having sound knowledge in optimizing and promoting shopping sites and portals, helping them achieving their business goals and objectives.
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