IBM CONSULTING
According to IBM, shopping can no longer be divided into online or offline experiences. Most consumers now engage in a hybrid approach, where a single shopping experience involves both in-store and digital touchpoints. In fact, this hybrid retail journey is the primary buying method for 27% of all consumers, and the specific retail category and shopper age can significantly increase this number. According to Consumers want it all, a 2022 study from the IBM Institute for Business Value (IBV), “today’s consumers no longer see online and offline shopping as distinct experiences. They expect everything to be connected all the time.”
Experiential hybrid retail is a robust omnichannel approach to strategically blending physical, digital, and virtual channels. It empowers customers with the freedom to engage with brands on whichever shopping channel is most convenient, valued or preferred at any given time.
