Underhill is the author of Why We Buy. His company, Envirosell, is the top consulting firm in the field of shopping behavior and retail architecture. He has studied hours of video footage, looking for things retailers should - and shouldn't - do to attract customers. He even discovered the "butt brush," the phenomenon whereby a shopper will quickly exit a store if bumped from behind while browsing.
GETTING IN TOUCH
Butt brush notwithstanding, Underhill says what online shoppers miss most is physical contact. "Shopping is a very sensual activity," he says. "People need to touch in order to buy - especially if the tactile qualities are important to what they're buying, such as sweaters or towels. Almost all unplanned buying takes place in a store as a result of these sensory experiences winning over a customer."
Underhill has found that the more time people spend in a store, the more they buy. It's tough to make shoppers linger at a Web site, he points out - they're far more likely to grab and go. Then there's the "Ooh! That looks so cute on you!" factor. Utterly lost online.
"The experience of brick-and-mortar shopping is unique, and I don't think it will ever be replaced with online shopping," Underhill says. "Especially in our tactile-deprived society - and especially after sitting at a computer all day - the physical sensations of shopping are a welcome change."
Genevieve Bell, a cultural anthropologist who has studied online and offline shopping for Intel, (INTC) agrees that online shopping lacks the fantasy aspect that stores offer. "A huge element when you're shopping is play-acting, playing dress-up and imagining you're someone else," she says. "In America, shopping is a way to feel good about yourself. That isn't what happens with e-commerce."
By getting in touch with shoppers, Web retailers might start feeling a little better about themselves, too. Especially when the revenue numbers arrive.
SCAMPERING BACK TO DRY LAND
E-tailers are returning to earth. Having tried - and failed - to attract sufficient customers through such high-concept campaigns as sock puppets, blimps and Frisbee giveaways, they're realizing that maybe the best way to get in touch with shoppers is to give them something to touch, like a catalog, a kiosk or even - surprise! - a corner store.
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Blair Clarkson is a staff writer for Grok.
