Survey: Webrooming, showrooming popular with shoppers

Consumers are proving themselves comfortable using multiple channels on the path to purchase.

According to the Third Annual Modern Consumer Research Report from enterprise SaaS scheduling platform JRNI, formerly BookingBug, 74% of U.S. and U.K. consumers webroom (research online, purchase in-store). Consumers predominantly perform webrooming for electronics, clothing, and household items. 

The survey of 2,000 U.S. and U.K. shoppers indicates 57% of respondents showroom (research in-store, purchase online), primarily for clothing, gifts, and electronics. And 54% of consumers click-and-collect (purchase online, retrieve in-store), mostly for clothing, electronics, and household items.

The research also uncovers areas where consumers want retailers to further enhance their in-store experiences. Almost six in 10 (57%) respondents want to schedule appointments with expert staff, while 64% want to attend in-store events to enjoy early access to products. 

Additionally, 61% of respondents want to attend in-store product demonstrations, and 57% want to attend DIY workshops with experts who show customers how to use products.

Only 22% of respondents rated in-store experiences as “excellent.” However, this figure was up more than 50% from 14% in the second edition of the study, published in 2017.