The on-line channel has a profound influence on consumers' off-line behavior and plays an integral role in an increasingly multichannel retail environment, according to a new report by the Boston Consulting Group.
Some highlights of the report, "The Multichannel Consumer," which surveyed 12,000 European Internet users, are:
• 37 percent of Internet users who have browsed on-line before purchasing off-line say that browsing on-line helps them get a better idea of the choices available.
• Of these consumers, 85 percent are loyal to the brand and product they identified on-line, and 35 percent are loyal to the merchant.
• The Internet will widen the gap between winners and losers among established retailers and manufacturers. Consumers who browse on-line before purchasing off-line frequently switch to a competing merchant if its store is closer to them. Therefore, established retailers that have a large off-line presence and manage the Internet channel successfully will enjoy a disproportionate increase in market share.
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