I was talking with a client, Mike Robinson of Robinson’s Interiors, and he was telling me how one of his sons had sworn off buying online. Now this was a son who had majored in computer technology and was an early adopter of online purchasing. But he had become sick of buying things that didn’t live up to the pictures and descriptions online. Additionally, he was dissatisfied with the return process.

“One of the advantages we have, is that people can come into our store and see the colors  and touch the product,” Robinson said. “Online stores can never compete with that. Nor can they answer customer questions as thoroughly and perceptively as one of our sales staff.” 

That comment got me to thinking about my own experiences with online shopping and chat boxes. It can be tedious to figure out how to express your problem in writing, then typing it all out, and then waiting for the person on the other end to type out the answer. 

There’s still nothing like asking a knowledgeable salesperson a question face-to-face. Especially for large ticket items like furniture, flooring, mattresses, or appliances!

Another client, Dan Losh, of Mattress Liquidators, says, “The brick and mortar stores give more personal service and can do a much better job of customizing the order to suit a customer’s specific needs. In the process, we build relationships face-to-face, one customer at a time. We get to see their expressions of joy once finding the correct solution. This cements an ongoing relationship and they recommend us to their friends and family.”

Both of these clients have been serving generations of families.

Since seeing and touching product is a big reason why folks shop in a brick and mortar store, why not take advantage of that in your on-and-offline marketing materials? I know I plan to to emphasize those benefits more in the future.

Easy Web Tip #277: Promote the see-touch advantages of shopping in your brick and mortar store.