Online vs In-store Shopping

Hi,
I have been researching on the current trends in shopping and came to the conclusion that these days the percentage of online shoppers is increasing tremendously.
This lead me to write a hypothesis of my own on understanding and finding out certain generic principles and corner stones that would differentiate online shopping from in-store shopping.

My research: I considered 4 kinds of retail experiences that a shopper could have inside a store and listed out the principles for those. Based on analysis of these principles I developed generic principles that could be used for future retail concepts to differential in-store shopping experience from online shopping experience.
These were as follows:

 

 

The principles

1. The retail experience should revolve around the activities of interest of the target audience. It should enhance the leisure experience of the customers.

2. Retail activities should promote family experience and interaction with friends. It should help people spend more time with their families and friends.

3. The retail stores should organize events at regular intervals, which could be for invited guests only or open to all. These events will help people plan their outings and would make them visit the stores rather than buying stuff online.

4. The stores should aim at social interaction between the customers, so people get a chance to meet others and exchange thoughts and ideas. This is something that is not possible online.

5. The stores could provide a kind of special advice service that is available for the audience only in the store. This would motivate them to visit the store for personal advice that would add value to their lives.

6. Retail could be taken out of stores to places where the target audience is, and where they go for leisure or for fulfilling some need in their lives. This would help them engage with the brand in places the brand is needed the most.

7. Personal shopping experience could be set up for customers who could take prior appointments from the stores. During these sessions the customer could get a chance to get advice and guidance right through his shopping experience. The brand could also help the customer add value to his life by either re- designing and styling his wardrobe, helping him furnish the interiors of his house or finding the perfect present for someone special.

8. The customer should have a say in the brand, stores and products and should be allowed to give his inputs if he wishes to which should be taken into account while designing further retail experiences.

3 Corner stones that in store experience should be based on:

Social Interaction 

Value Addition 

Leisure Enhancement