Survey: One-in-three shoppers want to see items in person

Princeton, N.J. – Almost one-in-three (31%) of U.S. consumers say wanting to see/feel items in person would make them shop at a physical store instead of online. According to a survey of more than 1,000 U.S. consumers conducted by digital agency Ripen E-commerce, almost as many (29.9%) wanting to buy an item immediately would spur them to make an in-person purchase.



Other responses include:



• 16.9% believe it protects their privacy

• 14.4% shop in-store to save on shipping costs

• 6.5% want to ensure easier/cheaper returns

• 1.5% said “other”



“Our survey found the largest portion of users ‘want to see or feel item in person’ or ‘want an item right away,” said David Rekuc, marketing director of Ripen. “These are obviously two big obstacles for e-commerce companies. But they aren’t insurmountable. Online retailers can offer free samples to get their products in consumers' hands and, while most small e-retailers can’t offer same-day delivery nationally, there’s no reason they can’t consider it for their local shoppers.”