Hybrid Retail is The New Normal and That's Just Fine

The pandemic and the resulting stay at home orders brought so many changes to American society. This is especially true in the way we shop. At the beginning of the lockdowns, retail stores scrambled to find a way to keep people buying. Now as the pandemic is easing its grip on our society and things are slowly returning to "normal", we find that many retail establishments have created a new normal. There is a new hybrid shopping model that combines the ease of shopping from home with the customer service and rapid gratification of shopping in brick-and-mortar stores. 

Here are just a few of the shopping trends that came into being because of the pandemic but are likely to be here to stay. 

Pick Up or Delivery 

"Will that be pick up or delivery?" used to be a question we were only asked if we were ordering prepared food like pizza or Chinese takeout. Now almost anything you want can be ordered, usually online, and picked up at the brick-and-mortar store, or delivered, the same day. 

Large retailers made this switch by changing the way the orders were fulfilled. Instead of orders being sent to a warehouse to be filled and then shipped through a third party, retailers turned their shopping areas into fulfillment centers. Now when an order is placed, an employee goes and takes it right off the shelf and prepares it to be delivered or picked up within hours. 

This switch, made of necessity, is likely to stay with us, at least from the larger retailers. These large retail corporations have the finances to implement and maintain digital inventory that can be updated in real time and can be seamlessly integrated with the online ordering portal. This ensures that when a customer sees an item online, the store actually has it in its inventory to be purchased. 

The Fun of In Store Shopping; The Convenience of Delivery 

Some smaller boutique type clothing stores have gone a different route. These retail stores have turned their brick-and-mortar establishments into display only venues. In these stores, customers can come in and browse and try on clothes or shoes to be sure they get the style and fit they really want. They difference is that all they walk out of the store with is a receipt. 

The service representatives in these stores take down the customers' orders, making sure that every detail is correct. Then these orders are sent to the warehouse where the orders can be filled and shipped. What the customers lose in the instant gratification of leaving the store with their purchases is largely offset by the personal shopper experience offered to them. 

This style of retail allows the business to keep down costs by not having to replace inventory in the stores and by charging customers for cost of shipping the items directly to their door. It also provides the customer with the personal interactions we used to take for granted. 

The more we in NYC and across the country try to return to normal, the more evidence we find that some things have changed for good. The change to a hybrid retail model may have been brought about by the unique situation created by the pandemic, but it is one change that most people seem to favor. 

Broadway Suites

Broadway Suites embraces change, and we offer both affordable shared office space in Manhattan and virtual Manhattan office services for clients who want the amenities that come with renting a dedicated office without the premium pricing. Contact us today to discuss your office needs!