Electronic store chains lose another round to online. Where does it end? Are electronics store outlets doomed?
It was indeed a merry Christmas for online retailers. Results for the season show a strong expansion of sales in the US, fueled in part by low gas prices leaving more money in peoples’ pockets. comScore reports that online sales from desktop computers increased 15% to $53.5 billion year over year, while brick and mortar (B&M) sales dropped 2.2%. Mobile sales did well, too, and overall, the expectation is for total online sales to grow better than 17%.
The electronics industry especially has a tough battle on its hands. Low-priced online retailers are well established, and the tech-savvy buyer has no fear of doing business online for even large electronic purchases. To add to the woes, the buyers that do go to the store often comparison shop online, effectively relegating the B&M retailer to a free showroom for products.
