Tasha How Retailers Can Bring The Shopping Experience Into 2026
In the great year of 2026, it’s time for retailers to realize that a small but real majority of Americans prefer shopping online rather than in-store. Millennials and Gen Z are particularly focused on the convenience of online shopping. But, it’s not just an age thing, as more than half of Gen X also prefer going online for their purchases.
The reasons are diverse, but they are important. A lot of retailers are struggling to attract footfall, and many blame it on unfair competition from large online marketplaces like eBay or Amazon. Many also believe that the price tag is an issue, and therefore, it would be the decisive factor pushing people toward online shops rather than in-person shopping.
While there is no denying that these can have an influence on their decisions, many customers simply explain that they prefer online shopping for the experience it delivers, compared to the in-person experience. So, this is the occasion for retailers to level up their stores and meet the expectations of shoppers in 2026.
Stop the Queues
When you compare online shopping to the in-store experience, the entire purchase process can be done in a matter of minutes online, while customers are often stuck waiting in a queue to pay when they visit a shop.
That’s where it becomes crucial to invest in solutions that can actively improve queue management and decrease wait times. Ultimately, shoppers want to be in control of how long they spend in store, and if they are going to spend a long time there, they’d rather it be through browsing than queueing.
Make Shoppers Feel Welcome
Clothing shops, especially, need to invest in the creation of suitable areas where shoppers’ partners can wait by the fitting rooms. More often than not, people visit stores in groups, either relatives, partners, or even friends. Yet, not everyone is going to try on clothes. However, they accompany someone and act as a sounding board, helping them choose outfits that work.
So, making them feel welcome is also part of the experience, as they can contribute to higher sales revenues if they don’t feel rushed by the surrounding environment. That’s where looking for comfortable sofas and chairs along with fresh water, such as through a water cooler supplier, can be a game-changer.
Luxury boutiques can also add a range of drink offerings, from fruit juices to coffees to reflect the expectations of their target audience.
Drop the Salesy Act
Shopping online means you don’t need to engage with sales representatives. A lot of branded stores, on the other hand, can have a sales team that feels too pushy and interrupts their shoppers’ experience.
More and more customers are likely to exit a store if sales representatives start talking to them. That’s where brands like Sephora have made a point to introduce in some of their stores color-coded shopping baskets, so that customers who want to be left in peace can shop without being disturbed.
Improving the shopping experience in retail stores is absolutely crucial for offline boutiques to continue to exist. There are so many different options and solutions that it can be tricky to figure out what customers really need. Perhaps, the easiest way for retailers is to run workshops with their customers where they can ask about real people’s needs.
