Now I've seen it, I'll buy it online...
‘Show rooming’ is becoming a trend amongst Brits as they admitted in a recent survey from offeroftheday.co.uk
The study found that 61% of people admit to regular ‘show rooming,’ which means that they check out a product in a store before looking to buy the same item online, sometimes finding it at a cheaper price.
The research was carried out to find the type of shopping habits Brits seem to have and 1,653 UK men and women aged 18 and over, took part in the project. One question, in particular, was a surprise, when asked: “Do you regularly look at items in store, but then buy online at a later point instead?” with 61% saying yes-proving that ‘show rooming’ is on very popular and on the rise.
They found that the main reason for this was that the people who admitted to ‘show rooming,’ 92% said the items were cheaper online compared to in the store. Therefore, they would choose to make a purchase online rather than in store there and then.
Offeroftheday.co.uk compiled a top 5 products list that people use a ‘show rooming’ technique for when shopping. The number one spot went to clothes, as 71% said they would rather see the product first and then buy online. 52% of people surveyed admitted that they would test electronic goods first and then search the web to buy the product. Furniture gained 45% of the vote with exercise equipment not far behind with 41%.
People who claimed they didn’t ‘show room’ were asked: “why would you choose to buy in store, even if there might be cheaper offers online?” 33% responded and said that they wanted to support the high street. 27% of people admitted that they didn’t want to pay for delivery or have to wait for an item to arrive if they bought online.
Having recently launched its new mobile version of the site, Offeroftheday.co.uk asked respondents if they ever checked prices whilst in a shop using their smartphone or tablet device, to which a third, 35%, said that they had, with 52% waiting until they got home before checking the price. However, 41% of respondents admitted that they had previously returned something to a shop after they had purchased in-store initially only to have found a cheaper alternative on the internet later on.
Ennis Al-Saiegh, Head of Marketing at offeroftheday.co.uk said: “the term ‘show rooming’ is apt for what’s happening in stores on the British high street. These days, in pretty much every case, it’s possible to find cheaper alternative online. Bargain-savvy Brits are clearly embracing this concept if our poll is anything to go by.”
He continued: “The high street is in decline and whilst it’s understandable that some people feel they need to support high street shops, sometimes you need to put your own financial needs first. ‘Offer of the Day’ lets you see the best deals available on products around the web, but if you’d rather go in store to look at an item before you buy it, then that choice is yours. We just help you save the most money!”
Tagged in fashion