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Are Retailers Neglecting Stores For Digital Channels?

Written by RetailWire Staff

A screenmediamag.com story claims retailers are neglecting stores for their e-commerce websites when allocating marketing dollars. Referring to research from the Platt Institute, the article emphasizes what it calls a "broad discontinuity" between what retailers should be doing and what they actually are.

Retailers apparently see social, e-mail, mobile and direct channels taking precedence over bricks and mortar stores. Investment aimed at future — rather than current — sales also focuses on "direct mail and catalogues, digital marketplace and call centers," according to the report of the research.

Platt's study, Retail Attitudes and Adoption Trends of Multi-Channel and Omni-Channel Marketing, focusing primarily on North American stores, concludes that retailers consider their websites to be worthy of greater investment. Stores are allegedly "seen as the third best channel in ROI terms, after websites and direct sales."

Platt worked with the American Marketing Association (AMA), supported by Digital Signage Expo, to seek insights into retailers' attitudes to multi- and omni-channel marketing, present and future. "Perceived channel ROI," integrated marketing and related challenges were queried for both stores and websites.

The study identified under-investment in physical selling locations and social media, and over-investment in direct mail, catalogs and digital marketplaces, although there are considerable plans being made to evaluate and amend strategies.

Earlier this year, VentureBeat reported on research from Forrester and Shop.org into the ways retailers are directing their marketing spend. While most online spending concentrates on search, "reaching relevant consumers remains a struggle." Social media is used "to tell and distribute 'brand stories' rather than drive direct sales," while mobile obviously concentrates on reaching consumers directly through the devices they carry around with them. Of 65 respondents, 59 percent were store-based, perhaps lending support to Platt's findings.

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