Consumers continue to blend in-store, online shopping methods

Seventy-three percent of consumers blend online research, physical store visits and options such as buy-online-pickup-in-store or in-store returns before making purchase decisions, according to a new study from ShipStation and Retail Economics. The report noted that a “staggering” $448 billion in online sales across the United States and Canada are dependent on these physical touchpoints,  accounting for 41% of total online sales in these regions.

“Seamless integration across all these touchpoints – alongside an on-time, right-price product delivery – is no longer optional, but essential for survival,” said Al Ko, CEO of Auctane, parent company of ShipStation.

In other findings, social media and AI are becoming crucial in the shopper journey. A quarter of surveyed U.S. consumers were also open to using AI-powered chatbots to research products before making a purchase. Globally, consumers aged 45 and under are nearly four times more likely to report researching products on social media compared to older generations.

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