In contrast to retail scares related to e-tailers stealing the marketplace with the supposed move to China by the likes of Harvey Norman and Myer, an upcoming boom in e-tailing could send business to retailers.
US-based customer satisfaction researcher, ForeSee Results says that an upcoming boom in e-tail over the holiday period will impact positively on traditional retailers.

“The great news for the one-third of retailers that are doing so well is that satisfied online shoppers are not only more likely to buy online, they’re also 47 percent more likely to buy offline,” said VP of Retail Strategy at ForeSee Results, Kevin Ertell.

The firm links customer satisfaction with their shopping experience heavily to their willingness to purchase; a view shared by JB Hi-Fi CEO, Terry Smart.

In an interview with Channelnews last week, Smart said that the customer experience is important for sales and that it includes the experience of physical, brick and mortar stores instead of solely online retailing.

Galaxy Research presented survey findings favouring the online sales sector, revealing that Australian consumers avoid retail in favour of online during Christmas “to avoid crowds.”