Most adult consumers in the United States still prefer to shop in physical retail stores rather than online, according to recent research from Walker Sands Communications.
The report was based on data from a survey conducted in March 2017 among 1,662 consumers in the United States age 18 and older.
Just over half (54%) of respondents say their preferred method of shopping is in physical stores.
Some 33% of consumers say they prefer to shop via a desktop computer, 12% prefer to shop via a mobile device, and 1% prefer using a voice-controlled device, such as Amazon’s Echo.
The youngest consumers surveyed (age 18-25) as well as the oldest consumers surveyed (age 61+) are the most likely to prefer shopping in-store versus online.
Some 83% of respondents say they have bought a product in a physical store in the past year; 69% have bought online and had the purchase delivered via regular shipping, and 41% have bought online and picked up the purchase in-store.
Most consumers (80%) say they would be more likely to make a purchase online if the site/app offered free shipping.
About the research: The report was based on data from a survey conducted in March 2017 among 1,662 consumers in the United States age 18 and older.
Ayaz Nanji is an independent digital strategist and a co-founder of ICW Content, a marketing agency specializing in content creation for brands and businesses. He is also a research writer for MarketingProfs. He has worked for Google/YouTube, the Travel Channel, AOL, and the New York Times.
LinkedIn: Ayaz Nanji
Twitter: @ayaznanji