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In 2022, brick-and-mortar stores are back in fashion.
According to Reuters, retailers are preparing to return to holiday shopping in stores by beefing up their field staff without doing the same for drivers and call center workers.
Giants like Walmart, Party City, and Michaels are pouring all or most of their new seasonal hires into in-store positions in anticipation of the already-ongoing flood of foot traffic.
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Retailers are more than just guesswork.
New research from investment management firm JLL shows that more shoppers are roaming stores for bargains and fewer are shopping online.
Are the masses planning to shop in person after two pandemic-restricted holidays?
GOBankingRates asked the experts.
In-store exclusive sales and pick-up discounts draw shoppers offline
Some retailers offer deals that apply only to products purchased in-store. For example, Home Depot is currently running some store-exclusive discounts, and Dick’s Sporting Goods offers coupons on his website for personal use only.
But sometimes you can save money by going to the store even if you don’t actually shop there.
“Some retailers, like Target, offer same-day discounts and more when you choose in-store pickup or drive-up pickup,” said Julie Ramhold, consumer analyst at DealNews.com. Although you may be eligible for this service, you usually have to pay an additional fee, so if you want to save money, pick-up is the best option.”
Also, small businesses may not have sufficient e-commerce capabilities, so going to a physical store may be the only way to buy from a local, family-owned store. How.
DebtHammer CEO Jake Hill said:
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The store has no shipping fees or minimum purchases
JLL reports that most shoppers (about 55%) will visit a store just for the item they are considering buying before spending money. However, another third of his respondents said he heads to brick-and-mortar stores to avoid delays and additional costs, two of his downsides to online shopping.
“Obviously, if you shop in store or pick up in store, you don’t have to worry about shipping costs,” Ramhold said. Some retailers and stores can charge significant fees for even small orders, so shopping in stores means avoiding these altogether.”
Also, small online purchases often come with large fees, which can only be avoided by buying more than otherwise.
“Many retailers offer free shipping, but it’s limited to a certain amount, so trying to meet the threshold could end up paying more than you intended. Yes,” said Ramhold. “Instead of worrying about keeping things to a minimum, shop in-store if you can and get just what you need.”
So when is the best time to buy a keyboard?
Another Shopkick survey found that 73% of consumers plan to shop at online-only retailers, and 98% of those will stay on Amazon. Of course, Amazon doesn’t have stores everywhere. Plus, Prime members don’t have to worry about shipping costs, so it’s an easy decision. You don’t need to bother going to a store if you get the same product at the same price and free shipping on Amazon and other online stores.
“If you can avoid shipping fees anyway, so if you’re buying in bulk or get free shipping, you might think it’s not worth shopping at the store. We need it,” Ramhold said. “Additionally, if a store is out of the way, shopping online is the best option. Because you don’t have to worry.”
More than just shipping — ecommerce succeeds in other ways
Just as some retailers have in-store only deals, others offer discounts to keep you from going to the store.
“Some retailers offer online-only discounts, so obviously in those cases it makes more sense to buy online,” Ramhold said. “But be sure to weigh your options and make sure the discount online is worth it if you have to pay for shipping. It might be better, or it might be the same. At least you’ll get your items faster.”
Finally, while in-store coupons are mostly limited to those issued by retailers or manufacturers, online, there are apps and browser extensions all over the world that can save you money.
Benny CEO Andy Kalmon said: “Not only are there many more, but they are easier to find. Browser extensions like Honey, for example, can automatically scan the internet for applicable coupon codes, effectively It saves me money every time.”
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