A recent survey published by Sterling Commerce has revealed that U.S. consumers online and offline want a better integration of channels to improve their buying decision. The mobile channel has become increasingly important for consumers in a street store, but the opinions differ significantly between age groups.

33% of consumers between age 18 and 44 would like to use their mobile phone to get more info on a product, whereas only 14% of the age group between 45 and 64 years would use their mobile for that purpose. 35% of the younger age group would use their mobile to inquire for price comparisons, while only 20% of the older age group would do this. And 31 out of hundred consumers in the younger group would inquire with their mobile whether a product that’s out of stock in the store would be available in the inventory, e.g. in a different colour or size. Only 19% of the older consumers would think of this action.

Even more interesting is the cross-channel relationship between online shoppers and street store opportunities. Consumer desire a better integration, with significant differences between genders and income groups.

84% of consumers questioned in the survey would like have the possibility to return an article they purchased online in a street store. And 67 out of hundred would collect a product they ordered online in a street store. (Only a few German e-retailers offer this possibility, e.g. Weltbild.de)

65% of consumers who purchased the desired product in a street store had researched pertinent information online before. Among persons with higher income (>75000US-$) and higher education (like college) this rate increased up to 73 and 76% respectively.

Especially women showed a high tendency towards cross-channel shopping. 59% of them had researched info on an article before the purchase, and 45% had the article delivered at home. One out of ten female consumers said that she had returned an article she had purchased online in a street shop. The bottom line again is that there is an urgent need for cross-channel integration – just what Sterling Commerce offers.

The survey was conducted by Opinion Research Corporation. The results can be downloaded HERE (as PDF).

Related news

• Speed-Trap report finds that most marketers are now ready for cross-channel integration
• Guest comment: Forget high street vs online – it’s all about cross-channel
• Almost two-thirds of shoppers are less likely to return goods bought online
• Making Cross Channel Work: Internet Retailing 2010
• Guest comment: Relevancy and cross-channel convergence key to etail success in 2011
• Fully-integrated online and mobile product recommendation platform aims to simplify cross channel shopping and shopper analysis