In the backwash of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, the analysts will be tallying the scores to see if this was a good year for retailing. It is, after all, the first shot in the battle that will culminate with the arrival of Christmas. For retailers, the harvest season has begun.
But the fears that the trip to the shopping mall may be over – replaced by tapping a few keystrokes on the computer or smartphone – may be overdone.
A global survey of consumer habits discovered that old is not necessarily dead. At least not yet.
Some consumers are getting a bit antsy about online shopping – how much retailers know about them and how their shopping patterns are being tracked.
The idea of basic face-to-face interactions with a store clerk is regaining its appeal. In fact, the survey showed that the largest percentage of those interviewed said their highest level of satisfaction came from interaction with knowledgeable, helpful staff, out-pacing personalized offers or in-store display screens.
