COVID-19 brought with it some changes in the way of living, relating and consuming. Many of the brands that only had a physical store, migrated to the opening of an ecommerce to avoid losing income and now that normality has returned, they see how their web conversion decreases and their visits to the store begin to increase.
The reason for this is webrooming , a trend that is being reborn and that must be taken into account by marketing teams so as not to lose sales. do you want to know what is it about? Keep reading
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What is webrooming or ROPO?
Webrooming or ROPO (Research Online, Pay Offline) is a consumer habit trend in which the consumer's purchase decision is influenced by digital content: images, descriptions, reviews, but the final purchase is made in the store (offline). ).
Webrooming can be equated with the Click and Collect functionality that evolved during the pandemic and that refers to the online reservation process and subsequent physical collection of the product.
But this trend is not new, before the coronavirus it was already common for consumers to get information through the internet without giving up the possibility of going to the store to try on a product, see it, and have contact with the store staff. .
The following statistics can help us understand why people choose webrooming as a purchase method:
- 88% of shoppers research online before making a purchase
- 47% do not want to pay shipping
- 23% do not want to wait for their product
- 46% prefer to feel the product before buying it
Including webrooming within omnichannel strategies will help cover the 360 needs of your business.
Webrooming vs. Showrooming
Showrooming is the opposite phenomenon of webrooming . It is also known as O2O (offline to online) and consists of trying the products in a physical store and finishing the purchase through the Internet . This type of shopping is done because consumers can try and feel the products, plus there are sometimes cheaper prices and exclusive offers online.
Those consumers who opt for showrooming have the advantage of receiving their products at home along with the possibility of choosing from a much larger selection of stock than is usually available in a physical store.
Why is it important to consider webrooming ?
It is very important to take into account webrooming within the marketing strategy , both when advertising and setting prices, in addition to taking into account all the stock.
By implementing the ROPO you will be able to notice that certain products that are advertised online have a low conversion rate but generate purchases in a physical store . Let's take a technology and sports store as a reference. Surely the online ad for a television will have more conversions than the one for sports shoes. However, when you see the offline sales you will see that, thanks to that ad, you have more visits to the store and a higher conversion of sneakers.
If you're a marketer and you're only looking at performance online, you'll probably be putting ad spend on TV. But if you look at the whole picture you will know that the investment must be for both products.
What audience does webrooming impact ?
Although the generational aspect is not the only factor to take into account, it can give us a guide to know how to communicate and through which channels . Below we show you the behavior of consumers according to their generational differences.
BABY BOOMERS:
They make purchases in the store and value the interaction. They are the ones who most seek information before resorting to the purchase.
What to do: Provide online resources about your products and use traditional means to bring them to your website.
MILLENNIALS:
They buy online but are interested in being able to try the products. They are influenced by word of mouth, so it is advisable to resort to reviews on different social networks and offer incentives ( check-in discounts ).
GENERATION X:
They shop online and occasionally check email for new deals and products. It is advisable to create an email marketing strategy to send personalized coupons, as well as resort to retargeting strategies .
GENERATION Z:
They buy online mostly by mobile, they value discounts and free shipping. It is a showrooming generation so its strategies must be to promote the online environment.
Categories influenced by webrooming
As we saw in the example of the sneakers and the television, the online-offline purchase also depends on the type of product that is offered . Here is a list of the most purchased through webrooming:
- Fashion and beauty: It is one of the most influenced categories since its products require testing to know if they fit with what is being sought.
- Appliances: These products are susceptible to ROPO due to necessity or urgency. They are not products that are bought frequently so when they are searched it is because there is a real need. Therefore, it is better to go to the store than to wait for it to arrive.
- Furniture and lighting: This type of product is usually chosen through webrooming since it is difficult to evaluate its appearance and dimension online. If you happen to choose a piece of furniture that does not fit or is not in accordance with what you are looking for, you will have to disassemble it and return it while waiting for a different model (which may cost more). This fact makes people prefer to go to the place to make the final purchase.
Tips to take advantage of webrooming
1. Optimize your website
As we have mentioned before, the webroom consists of getting information online and buying offline. If you do not have your website optimized and easy to navigate for the user, it is likely that they will leave your online store before finding what they are looking for.
To do this, we recommend having an SEO strategy that allows users to reach you when they are looking for something specific through the correct use of keywords. In addition, it is important that each product has its own page where the description of the product is detailed along with all the necessary information to be able to understand what is being purchased.
Remember to use images, videos and interactive material that show the functionality of the product and its different applications. This is a resource that users love.
Do not forget to optimize your website for mobile phones since it is one of the most recurrent means of consultation.
2. Show all your inventory
Imagine that you have already seen the product you want to buy, you go to the store and it is not in the physical stock. This will lead to a bad shopping experience. For this reason, unify the physical and online store inventory on your website, so that the user can know if it is available in any facility and in which specific store they can pick it up.
3. Include ratings and reviews
85% of users search based on ratings and reviews before making a purchase . This is a strong enough argument to encourage you to include your customers' opinion on your website. Ideally, each product has its space for comments and reviews to make decision making much easier.
If a negative comment appears, do not delete it. Make sure you answer correctly and honestly , this way users who reach this point will know that you have nothing to hide, that you know the problem and are working to improve it.
4. Make your store an attractive experience
Although online purchases are gaining ground, it is important not to rule out the physical store experience. You can use it to hold events and offer personalized shopping services as well as train your employees to improve customer service
5. Create an omnichannel strategy
Do not neglect any of your communication channels . You can promote the one that generates the most conversions without neglecting the others. Take care of your social networks , your online reputation , the customer service lines, your physical store and your ecommerce to give a unified image.
You can make the messages from different platforms complement each other so that your user goes through and knows the multiple channels and is he who decides which one best suits his needs.
We hope that this article on webrooming is useful for you to optimize your online strategy. We invite you to leave your opinion in the comments.
If you want to train in ecommerce and learn how to manage your online business, we invite you to participate in our Master in e-Commerce where you will learn to apply the Marketing and Sales strategies that are best suited to the online channel, in addition to implementing optimal media planning. digital. We will wait for you!
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