Just over half of customers said they shop in person instead of online so they can try on clothing or test products, according to a Chatmeter survey.
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Dive Brief:
- The lion’s share of customers — 9 in 10— say despite the convenience of online shopping, the experience doesn’t compare to shopping in-store, according to aChatmeter reportpublished earlier this month. Chatmeter surveyed more than1,000 customers and analyzed 500,000 online reviewsof specialty retail stores.
- About 3 in 5 consumerssay they shop in stores because they enjoy the experience.
- Plenty of inventory was the No. 1 factorin customers’ decision to visit a store, followedby deals only available in store and the opportunity to try on and test products, the survey found.
Dive Insight:
Digital experiences have come a long way, but technology can’t replace in-store shopping, especially for specialty retail stores.
“Stores are valuable assets,”Jon Copestake, EY Global consumer senior analyst, told CX Dive in July. They’re important for product discovery, introducing customers to new product launches and offering services that boost customer experience and loyalty.
Brick-and-mortar storefronts are also revenue drivers. Offline retail spend accounts formore than three-quartersof retail spend in 2025, according toEY research earlier this year.
Touching and feeling products is a key aspect of an in-store experience.Just over half — 52%— said they shop in person instead of online so they can try on clothing or test products, according to the Chatmeter study.
To stay relevant, in-store retailers should focus on experiential elements that consumers are unable to find online, said Jon Picoult, founder and principal of Watermark Consulting.
“For example, a bookstore where you can casually browse the stacks to discover a new and interesting read, or an apparel store where you can feel the thickness of a sweater and see how it looks on you, or an electronics store where you can fiddle with a new fitness tracker and learn about it from a knowledgeable salesperson who also happens to be a fellow marathoner,” Picoult said in an email.
Customers also seek out advice.Close to halfof those who shopped at beauty stores said they asked a salesperson for more information about a product in the past year.Seven in 10 customers said the associatesthey interacted with were very or extremely knowledgeable.
The report also highlights that while <a href="https://bitcomme.com/7-best-social-media-management-tools-for-small-business-in-2026/” title=”7 best social media management tools for small business in 2026″>business leaders invest in flashy technology, most customers just want the basics done well.
Of the 500,000 online reviewsChatmeter analyzed, commentary about in-store basics drovenearly 9 in 10 reviews. Long checkout lines were one of the main culprits.
“Shoppers might be awed by a store’s smartphone-enabled augmented reality, but — if they can’t find a soul in the store to answer a question, if the product they want to buy is out of stock, if there are literally no employees staffing the checkout lines — then they won’t be inclined to return, no matter how flashy the store’s technology is,” Picoult said.
