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A recent comScore survey drives home the devastating impact the showroom phenomenon, in which...

  • Monday, June 25, 2012, 5:14 PM ET
    A recent comScore survey drives home the devastating impact the showroom phenomenon, in which consumers check out items in physical stores before buying them online, is having on Best Buy (BBY). A full 63% of survey respondents claim they bought a consumer electronics item online after viewing it in a store. This compares with 43% for apparel, 29% for books, and 22% for both appliances and toys.
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This news story has 4 comments:

  •  
    What it means is that in time, either online commerce will get taxed at a higher rate than physical, or the Amazons of the world are going to have to open their own showrooms.
    25 Jun 2012, 05:20 PM Reply Like
  •  
    They are Amazon.com showrooms. No way around it. If they can't compete on price they will eventually die just like Circuit City.
    25 Jun 2012, 05:28 PM Reply Like
  •  
    And consumer confidence falls again...

    Interesting to see what June's consumer electronics sales numbers will be from the Census...

    If there are three consecutive months of falling numbers, it won't be good for any of the retailers...
    26 Jun 2012, 10:13 AM Reply Like
  •  
    Best Buy, etc. are extremely price competitive and actually have margin rooms to increase it. Sadly they are playing on an uneven playing field and the tax loophole that online retailers are exploiting are allowing their investment in retail space to be an albatross around their collective necks.

    As the states grow a pair and start demanding their proper taxes, the showroom effect should be mitigated to some degree.
    26 Jun 2012, 01:42 PM Reply Like
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