Online vs. In-store Shopping: Consumer Trends

The shopping public seems to be embracing a hybrid combination of online and in-store shopping for its needs instead of forsaking one for the other, a recent study of back-to-school sales suggests. This could be an influential factor for companies considering projects with a commercial real estate firm in Denver.

Brick and Mortar Stores Still Anchor Sales

According to an ICSC study, most of those shopping for school supplies this year headed to brick and mortar stores instead of shopping only online this year, and most of those made their purchases at a shopping center, too. Some of those consumers shopped online and picked up their purchases in brick and mortar stores, a percentage that’s increased from 30% to 40% over the past three years.

How Consumer Trends Influence Commercial Real Estate

The ICSC study results suggest that customers value efficiency and convenience when it comes to making purchases. Being able to meet all of their shopping needs in one location like a commercial shopping center can mean just one stop instead of multiple stops at several locations, saving time, gas money, and sometimes, aggravation. Additional time savings comes from shopping for wanted items online ahead of time and choosing in-store pickup instead of having items shipped.

How Commercial Real Estate Development Can Fulfill a Need

A commercial real estate firm in Denver can seize on these consumer trends in order to meet the needs suggested by both of these statistics. What’s more, consumers themselves said they expected to spend more on school supplies this year; as these purchases reach $1,000 per household, companies with a sufficient combination of online and in-person shopping availability may be poised to acquire a greater share of those increased spending amounts.

Working with a civil engineering firm can help companies balance the needs of in-person shoppers and click-and-pick up shoppers. From floorplan to wayfinding to parking lot designs, a civil engineering firm near you can work closely with real estate firms to deliver commercial real estate projects that achieve a strong return on investment, harnessing the desire of consumers to leave the store with products in hand, whether they shopped on their own or simply picked up the items they purchased online.