Online Sales Taking Over Retail? Not so Fast

Eyewear is one area where customers still want to try things on.

With Amazon poised to make its surprise debut this month as a brick-and-mortar retailer, various studies are beginning to show that online selling is not quite the revolutionary force it has been cracked up to be. A recent consumer survey by a tech website shows that 78 percent not only prefer to shop in-store, but also spend six times more in-store than online. In product areas such as apparel and eyewear, “73 percent of consumers want to try on or touch merchandise before they make a purchase.”
The website suggests that omni-channel retailers – those offering in-store and online options – are the wave of the future, citing eyewear company Warby Parker as “one e-tailer that has successfully integrated storefronts into its online business to better connect with its customers.”

Read more and see images at Tech Crunch