Brick & Mortar: The Future of Retail

We continually hear about the difficult times shops face. More people are shopping online and we read about shops closing all time. But how are these current times really effecting the kind of stores we love at The Shopkeepers. The unique, independent and inspiring Brick & Mortar shops that we love to discover and visit. So we asked our readers and followers for their opinions on Brick & Mortar Shops and The Future of Retail. Following are some of the highlights (way to many responses to include all!) of the thoughts, opinions and responses.

1. Do you think Brick & Mortar Shops are a dying breed?

42% responded NO whilst 21% said YES and 37% were somewhere in the middle. These are some of the responses…

No, just evolving into a more experiential species.
The special ones will remain.
No. Although escalating rents, on-line convenience, next day delivery, etc will continue to present challenges.
No, I think large stores are a dying breed because they have to compete with online shopping as most of what they sell is sold online. Smaller, specialist/indy shops are the ones that will survive because you can’t buy that shopping experience online.
Not at all. Brick and mortar needs to continue to adapt, however it’s still wonderful to touch, feel and see items in person.
No, independents are coming back.
No. I love the ones that are so individual and for younger folk this may be discovery again time.
No. I thInk there will be a whiplash effect at some point. There is so much pleasure in just shopping even if nothing is purchased.
No. There will always be a need for local shops, especially for food and other perishables. I also think many people like to see things in person and appreciate the value of a smaller retailer. It’s an antidote to sameness.
In their current form yes but a new style of high street is emerging. One based on leisure and experience and not just on the purchase of goods!
Unfortunately yes, against much resistance from me and like minded friends
I think they are under intense pressure from all sides. Multi-national corporations, online shopping and increasing rents. If the environment was not stacked against them I still think they would survive and thrive
Sort of. The trend towards monobrand and the lack of focus on independent knowledge provision and customer relationship in multibrand means there’s no added value versus cheapest channel (loyalty free).
In their current form yes but a new style of high street is emerging. One based on leisure and experience and not just on the purchase of goods!

2. When do you shop IRL?

IRL is the abbreviation of “In Real Life”. Many people answered weekly and at weekends. Unfortunately some people didn’t know this but following are some of the highlights of those that did.

As much as possible especially when I travel.
As a pastime and when I can afford to shop at all …
Vacation, days off, specific day trips to destination.
Always for groceries. When traveling mostly.
As often as possible but with local or small where possible.
For special items and items that I want to see in person.
Most of the time. Day to day shopping, most gifts and clothes etc.
Visiting new cities or towns.
Whenever I travel, my town doesn’t have many cute shops.
When I am a new place…
When I’m traveling, on a business trip, for the holidays.
95% of the time.
I only buy online when I can’t find what I need in the city. Because more and more small retailers have been forced out of NYC, I have to purchase online more than I would like. But food, gardening supplies, etc., I always buy IRL.
When I am looking for an experience or to be inspired
As much as I can. What is online shopping?

3. When do you shop online?

90% of the time.
When I need a refill of something basic.
Could be few times a week, mostly for basics.
When I need something fast, hard to find, or don’t need to feel it.
Convenience, utility items.
When I am bored, or if I want to research pricing for items.
When the item I want to buy is significantly cheaper online or I can only buy it online.
To buy everything else but clothing.
When I can’t find what I need from an independent, rarely and never with Amazon.
When I can’t find what I want in local shops which sadly is too often. Some of the retail problem is local shops not being in tune in what people want to purchase.
For items that don’t carry an emotional investment. To ensure I have something I need when I think of it.
Ew. If I *have* to it’s usually for something really obscure that I cannot find elsewhere.
When I need the boring everyday stuff and need to shop around to find the cheapest.
When I need a specific item.

In general are you buying less?

60% responded YES, 25% responded NO with 5% saying “about the same” and the balance trying to buy less.

YES! And I am selling possessions.
Yes – less fast fashion
Yes, but better quality.
Yes, trying to buy less of the easy option (fast fashion etc) and more well made items. Therefore buying less, but better quality.
Yes but more quality and taking longer to research
Yes – more so buying second hand as well. New items tend to be cheaply made and not worth it. If they are quality you pay for it – and I will.
Buying less but probably spending more on the things I do buy.
I’m trying and mostly succeeding at this.
No, we are buying more, both online and IRL.
No, going to bricks & mortar shops I spend more!

What are your favorite type of independent shops?

Books, vintage, food, textiles, garden.
Clothing and lifestyle
Experience based shops and destination places ie. Daylesford farm shop.
Gift shops. Book shops
Bookshops, artisan food shops e.g. cheese and whole foods, and gift shops.
Antique + Vintage, Local Artisan, Local Food, Lifestyle
The ones where the shop owner and staff really care. The ones that sell more unusual or unique items which are preferably locally/handmade.
Gift shops, vintage shops, antique shops. A shop with a very specific style and point of view.
Lifestyle, stationery & paper.
Aesthetically inspiring shops that have a personality all their own.
Men’s clothing.
Stationery stores, book stores, bakeries/food, housewares, art supplies.
I especially like homewares and antique/vintage furniture.
Flower, gift shops.
Multibrand zero bullshit that know their customers.
Those that are personally curated vintage and recycled shops and those that focus on hand crafted goods.
Multi-Category shops.
Gift, art, book, vintage, antique markets.
Womens clothing and accessories mens clothing and accessories, home, beauty, city or region specific items.
Coffee shops, housewares, gift shops, hardware stores, fruit markets, butchers, give me all of them.
Small, local, interesting merchandise that smells, looks and feels good.

Will you pay more to shop local and support Brick & Mortar shops?

90% responded YES and 2% NO and 8% sometimes

Absolutely. I do it all the time.
Yes but the shops would need to offer something different [not mass produced].
I do; I only read actual books and buy them all from locally owned shops even if out of town and have to pay shipping.
Yes, absolutely and most definitely! It helps give us a better sense of community, commitment and belonging!
Yes, if the products are well made and unique
Yes, I’d rather pay more to support brick & mortar than postage.
For niche products and superior service, yes.
Yes especially for clothes.
Yes absolutely, also instant gratification/being able to get a sense of a piece in person.
Yes. It’s important to me to support locally owned businesses and I will pay more to do so.
Yes I do. I’ll happily pay up to a 25 percent premium but not more. I think of it sometimes like tipping.
Depends on what it is. Artisan products whether food or other, yes.
Depends on how much more is, and if the experience justifies the additional cost.

Do you think zero-waste shops, repurposing, and vintage shops are more important than ever?

Very much so, furniture is one industry which tells our history and keeps memories alive for the future, but also puts a new spin on how we presently live.
While I have been a proponent of recycling, on all levels, for decades yes, I do think it is more important than ever.
Yes ~ I love vintage, especially houseware products, and I love sewing with vintage fabrics. Sadly vintage clothing sizing us usually too small.
Since I own a vintage shop, I am biased, but absolutely. Not only because it is a green product, but because it’s better quality for the customer.
I do. I also think there are more locations than ever before and personally think we need more “refill” shops
Yes. They play an important part in how retail needs to change and evolve.
Definitely – we need to produce less.
Yes I am buying more from our local health food shop and grocery shop to avoid excess packaging.
I find it upsetting they they’re just buzzwords and trends. Zero waste has been part of my model for 11 years. I hate how vintage has been ruined by the trend. All the beauty is gone. There’s not enough embedding of the values.
Yes. I think Amazon created a monster and that monster is wasted energy used to satisfy impulse purchasing. The costs of delivering everything and boxing it is unacceptable.
Most definitely. We’re past our tipping point. Zero waste and repurposing absolutely must be the wave of now and the future.

What is your opinion on The Future of Retail over the next decade?

It will mostly die out due to greedy landlords who it seems would prefer to have empty spaces than lower the rent.
Big stores out, small stores in.
Must provide an eperience for the customer and establish relationships. We provide much more than a transaction. We are a neighborhood fixture that costomers enjoy visiting, even if they aren’t buying.
Small is better. Less is more. Personal relationships. Authentic customer service. Community + neighborhood-centric.
It will be exciting, experimental like nothing we have seen before!!
Shops that are unique, care about their customers and provide a specialty, hands on, will thrive. Consumers love experiencing cozy, comfy and something real and heartfelt. Creating an atmosphere that allows them to imagine and adapt their lives to include unique items is still the natural norm, yet convincing them there’s a twist will be the trick.
Bricks and mortar stores will decrease in number as online outcompetes.
I think we’ll continue to see a rise in people erring on the side of a local community shoping experience which involves procurement of vintage, locally sourced, eco sustainable and earth friendly purchases.
Big superstores will struggle more and more while indy shops will flourish.
Evolving.
Bleak mostly because stores over stock cheaply made ill fitting clothes rather than understand real want desire.
A struggle for sure. There has to be an entire change of shopping mindset…
It’s in transition for sure. I think one of the bigger issues is the cost of rent. Landlords are way over charging for spaces at the moment causing shops to close and then the spaces just sit empty. Ridiculous.
I think it’s going to become more popular again, malls are dying. But not brick and mortar shops.
Stores that offer something that can not be commoditized will succeed. Many large chains will disappear.
It’s very much in trouble. Retailers do more than vend. They provide an education on the origin of their merchandise. Often, the things they carry can’t be found on search engines because shoppers don’t even know they exist.
I hope small shops will be supported both in person and online.
The cream will rise.
It’s going to be tough and retailers are going to have to think out of the box.
I’m concerned that we’ll lose even more specialist and creative independent shops and with it, our community ties will be eroded even more.
That the future is the showroom, but also places that intimately know their customer and rotate vendors. Big spending brands are a holdover from brand premium overvaluation versus provision of promise staked on reputation. It all starts with grocery retail. That’s the indicator.
Only the best will survive… service and difference.
E-commerce will continue to grow and brands will have to try harder than ever to push for brand loyalty. Brick and mortar shops will still exist but purely for experiential purposes in representing the brand.
Hopefully independent shops will have more of an online presence so people outside of big metropolitan areas can have access.
I hope that people realize the importance of supporting the high street …… the corporate homogenizing of most high streets are what have put people off …… uniqueness is important ….. mass manufacture is boring everyone silly.
I certainly hope not. Some cities are currently looking into “legacy business” policies to try and protect these unique businesses – San Fran, Toronto Seattle, etc.
More independent shops. Convert large empty stores into smaller retail units.
There has to be more that draws you away from your phone.
I hope we see the trend going away from fast fashion and cheap, disposable type items, back to classic and sustainable items.

Plenty of comments and food for thought. Wondering how feedback varies from our last survey? Check it out!

• Brick & Mortar November 2018