Copyright ©2022 Tango. All rights reserved.
The Post-COVID Consumer: The Future of Brick and Mortar Stores
15
Omnichannel stores:
Point of sale, inventory source,
fulfillment center
For years, people have speculated that brick and mortar
stores are on their way out the door. They've argued that
ecommerce will continue taking a larger slice of sales until
it simply isn't viable for retailers to rent physical space
for shopping. But while the pandemic was a catalyst for
digitization and ecommerce, it also reinforced the central
role of brick and mortar stores.
The store is the linchpin of omnichannel
commerce.
Brick and mortar retail has been evolving for years, creating
digitally enhanced experiences and finding innovative ways
to blend in-store and online shopping. In the past, most
consumers only experienced physical stores as an all-in-one
point of sale, inventory source, and fulfillment center. As
buying methods like BOPIS, BOSS, and curbside pickup have
demonstrated though, brick and mortar stores can play a
role in a much wider variety of shopping experiences.
And consumers are getting used to that.
