U.S. Retail Survey Shows 75% of Consumers Prefer Customized In-Store Experiences Over Online Shopping

NEW YORK, May 9, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- More than two-thirds of Americans prefer to shop in traditional, brick and mortar stores than online commerce sites, according to a survey conducted by Instant.ly on behalf of Synqera , a global technology startup that uses big data to bring personalized digital experiences to the physical retail store. The survey found that shoppers gravitate towards retail locations that offer customized shopping experiences but that checkout remains the number one pain point for 73 percent of U.S. consumers.

With competing, online-only retail ecosystems gaining customer loyalty, physical retailers have faced the challenge of changing business models and retention tactics in a multichannel world to combat showrooming. Synqera develops technologies that bring personalized online shopping experiences to physical retail stores, creating a more compelling in-store experience for consumers and greater customer loyalty and increased sales opportunities for retailers.

"Synqera found that at the most basic level of commerce, the point of sale in brick and mortar retailers is the primary deterrent for consumers shopping at stores," said Filipp Shubin, Synqera COO. "We also discovered that coupon usage increases if they were immediately accessible and personalized to each shopper that walks into the retailer's store. If the consumer is actively engaged the entire time they are in a store, the better they feel about the shopping experience."

Other key findings from the survey:

• More than two-thirds of Americans prefer to shop in store versus online
• 82 percent of respondents believe the point of sale checkout process can be improved
• Nearly three-quarters of Americans find waiting in the checkout line their least favorite aspect of in store shopping
• 76 percent would find the checkout process more enjoyable if they received personalized coupons at checkout
• 66 percent of Americans are more likely to shop in a store where they receive personal suggestions while shopping, and over 75 percent of total respondents would rather receive personalized coupons
• 8 out of 10 Americans are more likely to shop in a store that provides an overall customized shopping experience

"Showrooming is very real and very damaging for retailers that can't compete with e-retailers," continued Shubin. "In an effort to combat it, insights like those that Synqera found can help pinpoint where retailers should focus their innovation, even in the most unlikely or shockingly obvious places, like the checkout line."

The data for this survey was collected between April 22-26, 2013 via Instant.ly, with 72 percent of respondents ages 18-54. You can the survey results in their entirety here. For more information, please visit Synqera online at Synqera.com, Facebook, and Twitter.

About Synqera 
Synqera, a retail technology startup, develops big data-driven technologies that bring the personalized online shopping experience to physical retail stores, creating a more compelling in-store experience for consumers and greater customer loyalty and increased sales opportunities for retailers. Founded in 2010, Synqera launched its first product Simplate in 2012 in Europe and in 2013 in the United States, providing a new concept of real-time business-to-customer media communications. Synqera is headquartered in Saint-Petersburg, Russia, with its U.S. office in New York City. Visit Synqera online at Synqera.com, Facebook, and Twitter.

SOURCE Synqera