Clicks & Bricks Retail Tricks - The Online vs Shop War is On Down Under!
By veganbliss
@veganbliss (3895)
Adelaide, Australia
January 14, 2011 2:20am CST
Our online market has lagged the US & UK, but Westfield Shopping Centres have come online now offering a seamless integration of real-world & cyber-shops. Stores are now to host online kiosks for customers to research products & interact with friends. Westfield has just launched the nation's first virtual mall, grouping its "bricks & mortar" tenants into a one-stop website. Australia has recently been seeing a mass exodus from its expensive retail stores in favour of tax-free buying (if it's under $1000) online from the US & other countries as our dollar has risen against other currencies. Where will you be getting your "e-tail therapy"? Do you do most of your shopping online already & wish you could do more? Is this the way it's heading? Online research when you come into the store to make sure you're getting the best deal & check out what others are buying? Is it all about the money? Is the "little guy"'s small business going to suffer or close down as giant shopping complexes take over the known world? What's happening where you are?
1 response
@coffeebreak (17797)
• United States
29 Jan 11
Wow. I haven't heard it was this bad...but not surprised. I am not into internet to this extent, but I am sure it is in the "up and coming" ways of life! I have heard that some stores, if you buy online, you can now return at the B&M store which is really great as having to pay "sent" shipping nad the "return" shipping was a huge huge part of why I don't shop online. What it looks like on the paper catelog is not always what it looks like in my hands! And for clothes...especailly for clothes...unless you know the specific brand and that if fits...you'd have to pay postage to return it. I am not a fan of shopping on line for things that have specifics. I buy DVD/CD's on line, no problem and things that I have seen in a store (I'll go shopping for the item at Target or someplace...find the stock/item number I want, go home and log on to MyPoints and buy it on line and get the points and often a lesser price!)
But I guess that is the way things seem to be going. I think the USPS will be happy about this...unlss they ship UPS or FEdEx instead!
@veganbliss (3895)
• Adelaide, Australia
30 Jan 11
Thanks for your response... I was just about to "can" this topic as I thought no-one would reply; maybe it was "old news"?
Yes, I think they're finally addressing both the short-comings & advantages simultaneously of shopping online versus physical shopping. One issue of online shopping is the freight hassle, another is the non-physicality of the situation so one doesn't really know what they're going to end up with, both of which you pointed out. Likewise, when we shop at a physical store, we have no idea if we're getting the best deal around & price matching physically is extremely expensive in terms of time, energy & money
. Hopefully these kiosks will overcome this too by providing in store product research & "friend interaction". It's all about making people really happy with their purchase which will mean they will definitely come back again, which should quickly recover the costs of such a set-up! 
Yes, I think they're finally addressing both the short-comings & advantages simultaneously of shopping online versus physical shopping. One issue of online shopping is the freight hassle, another is the non-physicality of the situation so one doesn't really know what they're going to end up with, both of which you pointed out. Likewise, when we shop at a physical store, we have no idea if we're getting the best deal around & price matching physically is extremely expensive in terms of time, energy & money. Hopefully these kiosks will overcome this too by providing in store product research & "friend interaction". It's all about making people really happy with their purchase which will mean they will definitely come back again, which should quickly recover the costs of such a set-up! 