Online retailers taking more ‘showroom stores’ as internet sales slow

A growing number of formerly ‘pure-play’ online retailers are taking physical stores as the rate of internet sales growth looks set to slow during the next few years.

New research from Colliers International shows that by 2021, the rate of growth in e-commerce sales is expected to decline from the current level of around 11% to 7%.

Because of this, online retailers are increasingly using physical stores to bolster sales and increase brand visibility.

The new trend is being labelled ‘showrooming’ as the primary intention of these stores is not necessarily to generate sales through the tills but to reinforce customer loyalty – and spending – online.

The global real estate advisor has analysed more than 30 different online brands across the EMEA region which are becoming ‘showroomers’.

This increasing presence of ‘pure-plays’ on the High Street is being supplemented by a growing number of brands – such as Samsung, Dyson and Volkswagen – which previously sold through stockists but are now looking to go direct to the consumer through their own store networks.

Paul Souber, co-head EMEA retail at Colliers, said: “With the rate of web sales forecast to level out over the next four years, many e-retailers have identified showrooms as one of the remedies to a decline in profits.

“Increasingly showrooms in physical shopping environments which both generate online sales, raise awareness of their company, promote brand loyalty and offer the customer an opportunity to see, touch and feel the products.”

Taking physical space also delivers benefits for landlords and retailers.

Etienne van Unen, co-head EMEA retail at Colliers, added: “Because showrooms are often located in a non-prime property and in units which would not appeal to mainstream retailers, the rents they command are often acceptable to both landlord and occupier.

“The landlord is letting a property which may have been problematic or not in demand and the pure-play is getting a lower rent than they would pay for a mainstream store.”