A new nationwide online survey by Google/ Ipsos Reid MediaCT on Retail Consumer Intentions finds that 84 per cent of Canadians will research online before buying, and nearly half (45%) being open to direct online transactions.
Not surprisingly, 55% of Canadians intend to use their smartphones to help with holiday shopping, up 9% over 2011. According to Canada.com, the “Showrooming” trend (bringing mobile devices into stores to check on pricing and deals on the spot) is accelerating.
Will Canadian eRetailers be ready?
Leading bricks & clicks retailers like Future Shop and Best Buy are seeing “50% increase in online sales this year”, and are beefing up their eCommerce ranks accordingly.
And is it really all about price?
Not surprisingly, the Google/ Ipsos Reid MediaCT research notes that loyalty is not high among shoppers shopping online, with most consumers indicating no ties to a particular retailer or brand. Some eRetailers are responding by price-matching the price leaders like Amazon.com.
But we ask: Is it really all about price? Is price-matching a sustainable online business model? Or should Canadian eRetailers start to differentiate their online offering with more compelling value-added and an exceptional customer experience?