{"id":1673445,"date":"2014-10-02T04:42:45","date_gmt":"2014-10-02T11:42:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.retailpro.com\/News\/blog\/index.php\/2014\/10\/02\/think-brick-and-mortar-commerce-is-dying-think-again\/"},"modified":"2014-10-02T04:42:45","modified_gmt":"2014-10-02T11:42:45","slug":"think-brick-and-mortar-commerce-is-dying-think-again","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.retailpro.com\/News\/blog\/index.php\/2014\/10\/02\/think-brick-and-mortar-commerce-is-dying-think-again\/","title":{"rendered":"Think brick-and-mortar commerce is dying? Think again"},"content":{"rendered":"

Although plenty of retail customer intelligence<\/a> analysts have eagerly predicted the demise of physical shopping, such a time has yet to arrive. <\/p>\n

Instead, enterprises focused on selling specialty merchandise have been leveraging a blend of ecommerce and brick-and-mortar outlets to optimize customer service. Big-name merchants providing a variety of goods to consumers have yet to completely abandon tangible retail storefronts as well. <\/p>\n

Why brick-and-mortar still matters <\/strong>
\nSome uneducated critics have gone so far as to say that ecommerce transactions dwarf sales made in physical stores by 80 percent. However, Forbes contributor Laura Heller referenced a statistic developed by the U.S. Department of Commerce, which discovered online purchases accounted for a mere 6.4 percent<\/a> of total retail sales during Q2 2014.<\/p>\n

While this percentage is rising every year, it still doesn't change the fact that an overwhelming majority of people continue to buy goods at tangible locations. So, why is that? Heller outlined several notable factors that impact the shopping experience:<\/p>\n