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Your customers need both, so design a channel strategy that exceeds their expectations.
Although e-commerce continues its rapid growth, brick-and-mortar retailers remain vital players in the evolving retail landscape. According to Capital One Shopping research, approximately 2.77 billion people worldwide made purchases online as of 2025, with online shopping revenue hitting about $6.42 trillion. In fact, e-commerce generated nearly 21 percent of all retail sales, signaling a significant but not all-encompassing shift to digital channels.
By 2030, those sales are expected to hit $8.9 trillion. While physical stores space remains important, consumer behavior is increasingly shaped by convenience, personalization and emerging omnichannel options, driving more consumers to opt for online shopping opportunities.
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In the struggle between brick-and-mortar vs. ecommerce stores, online shopping provides clear advantages that help drive its rising popularity:
Most buyers research products online first, using social media, websites and apps before making final decisions. For example, according to DataReportal’s Digital Global Overview Report, more than 50 percent of internet users globally go on social media to research products and brands before buying. Social commerce also continues to grow as consumers complete purchases on social platforms the same day they discover a product.
Typical consumer online purchasing habits and trends include seeking the best prices, expecting personalized experiences and prioritizing privacy and security.
Traditional retail stores are still responsible for the majority of sales in the U.S. These brick-and-mortar locations excel in several ways that digital platforms struggle to match, including:
Physical locations still allow for immersive experiences, including product demos and samples, especially important for categories like beauty, food or furniture.
Feature/Experience | Online Shopping | In-Store Shopping |
|---|---|---|
Convenience | Shop anywhere, anytime | Travel required; store hours |
Product Selection | Broad; unlimited shelf space | Limited by physical space |
Price | Often lower due to competition | More impulse buys/promotions |
Sensory Experience | None; relies on photos/descriptions | Full; touch, test, demo |
Customer Service | Automated/chat; limited interaction | Real-time, personal help |
Returns | Can be slower, shipping required | Immediate, in-person |
Social Aspect | None | Can be group/social event |
Fulfillment Speed | Shipping delay | Instant takeaway |
Best Use Cases | Repeat, familiar, commodity products | Novel, complex, tactile products |
Modern retail isn’t limited to “online vs. in-store.” Instead, businesses succeed with hybrid approaches. These strategies should take into account the following:
Unified inventory systems and seamless customer data allow for consistent experiences whether shoppers switch platforms or interact across multiple channels. Jennifer Johnson, owner of True Fashionistas, said the buy online, pick up in-store option “works beautifully because customers shop when they pick up their order, resulting in more sales.”
It’s crucial to reduce friction on your e-commerce website by boosting page-load speeds and optimizing your website for mobile devices.
If you plan on implementing a hybrid, omnichannel approach for your retail business, consider the following checklist:
Omnichannel approaches ensure both convenience and meaningful engagement. However, not all businesses will find the pivot equally feasible. According to Nick Gausling, chief operating and financial officer at Al Phillips Cleaners, daunting overhead costs make it hard for online retailers to move into the physical sector.
“It’s much easier for brick-and-mortar retailers to expand into digital channels than it is for e-commerce retailers to launch physical stores,” Gausling explained. “Pure play e-commerce businesses should explore wholesale partnerships with established brick-and-mortar retailers to more realistically attain a multichannel presence.”
To increase in-store sales with online marketing, create content that speaks to user segments’ specific needs and encourage them to move offline with clear calls to action.
As of late 2025, U.S. e-commerce accounts for roughly 16 to 17 percent of total retail sales, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
ROPO (Research Online, Purchase Offline) involves consumers researching products on the internet—reading reviews, comparing prices—and completing purchases in a physical store for assurance and immediacy.
Any retailer with a diverse or high-sensitivity product set should consider omnichannel strategies. Blending online research tools, in-store experiences and hybrid fulfillment options meets evolving customer expectations and maximizes lifetime value.
Consumers weigh several factors before choosing where to buy:
Skye Schooley contributed to the reporting and writing in this article. Source interviews were conducted for a previous version of this article.
