Show Online What’s in Store

Overall, ecommerce retailers who also maintain a bricks-and-mortar store average higher ecommerce sales than those without the B&M. There are a number of reasons for this, such as shoppers’ perceptions that it will be easier to address any problems which come up post-purchase and the attractiveness to consumers of being able to choose among purchase channels. But one often-overlooked reason is that when the consumer knows you’ve an actual store, not just a virtual one, they trust you more.
     This is according to researchers from Florida State University, Saint Mary’s College of California, York University, and Lieberman Research Worldwide. As evidence, the researchers show how differences between ecommerce sales with or without a B&M partner are especially high for unknown retailers. They also are higher when the B&M store is physically distant from the shopper rather than across town.
     Based on these findings, the researchers recommend that you show on your ecommerce pages photos of your store building and the name of the store owner. In the studies, these reduced the feelings of psychological distance and increased interest in shopping through the online channel.
     Other research finds that photos of the store interior and store staff, not just the building, have similar positive effects. But you’ll want to be sure the store looks worth trusting and the people have a reputation for being trusted.
     A while back, study results at Loyola University-New Orleans found a number of instances in which stores named after the owner garnered less consumer trust than other stores. Mike’s Auto Repair was less trusted than Downtown Auto Repair, all else being equal.
     It would seem that including the owner’s name would generate trust instead of disrupting it. People prefer to conduct transactions with other identified people rather than with anonymous organizations. It’s nicer to know who you’re dealing with. It’s one of the many advantages locally-based retailers can offer.
     The explanation for the surprising finding was in the degree to which the consumers didn’t trust retailers in general. For those who thought most store owners are out to rip you off, the mistrust antennae were activated when they saw the owner identified in the store name. But this was not true for consumers who weren’t highly suspicious of retailers.
     When you choose to include your name in the name of your store and include both on your ecommerce site, earn and maintain the trust of prospective customers.

For your profitability: Sell Well: What Really Moves Your Shoppers

Click below for more: 
Capture Multichannel Shoppers
Educate Staff to Educate Shoppers
Analyze Rather Than Reject Surprising Findings
Buttress Trust with Clarity