New survey highlights disconnect between online and bricks-and-mortar.

 

While the term ‘online shopping’ is commonly used to describe purchases via digital platforms, most  consumers only relate ‘shopping’ to bricks-and-mortar stores.

 

A survey commissioned by e-commerce company Shopify found that despite a boom in online shopping over the last 18 months,  more than three-quarters of Australians associate shopping with physical stores. 

 

Respondents aged 55 and over are more likely to think of physical stores than those aged between 18-24, suggesting that different age groups have different perceptions of what shopping is all about

 

Shopify managing director Shaun Broughton said Australians haven’t quite broadened their definition of what a store is.

 

“A store is Instagram, a store is Pinterest, a store is online and a physical space. The research proves that Australians shop on all these mediums, but they still perceive a store as bricks and mortar," he said.

 

"As shopping trends continue to evolve dueto macro circumstances and technology, this perception is also highly likely to shift over time,” he added.

 

The survey also found that Australians still consider the online component of retail brands to be important. 

 

Eighty-three per cent of survey respondents believe that brands need to have an online store, and just seven per cent aren’t fussed because they believe it only matters if the online experience is better than the experience they get in-store.

 

Twenty-seven per cent would use social media for online shopping if there is a promotion, and 19 per cent use features such as tagging prices on posts or in-platform purchase features.