How Brick and Mortar Commerce Fits into the Future of Retail

Brick-and-mortar commerce is alive and well. Although offline retail traffic did fall during the first year of COVID, analyzing monthly visits to major retailers in the United States since January 2019 reveals that, since March 2021, visits to brick-and-mortar retailers have consistently exceeded pre-pandemic levels. And offline retail traffic has been steadily growing, indicating that brick-and-mortar retail is not going anywhere.

At the same time, the shifts in consumer preferences and shopping habits mean that the role of the physical store is changing. Today’s retail outlets can operate as marketing platforms, delivery and pick-up locations, venues for social outings, and showrooms where shoppers can examine products before purchasing online. Retailers who effectively leverage the various components of their store fleet can create a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts...

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RSK: Sometimes people need to touch, smell, see a product before they will purchase.