Brick & Mortar – What is Brick & Mortar?
It is an English term that can be translated as brick and mortar, and refers to those businesses that operate through a physical establishment.
Until a couple of decades ago, businesses of this type were the most common and, in fact, they are still very present today. In any shopping center and even on any central street you can find shops selling all types of products: hardware, sports, fashion, stationery, etc.
Digital businesses vs physical stores
As e-commerce has developed, there has been an important debate about whether online stores will destroy physical stores or whether the latter will be able to survive.
Until relatively recently it seemed that digital commerce was going to definitively triumph over traditional commerce, but that has not been the case.
Consumers really like to make their purchases online. This allows you to quickly compare prices in several stores and purchase what you want without leaving home and without having to wait in long lines.
However, consumers also like to have all the information possible about those products that interest them. He wants to see them, touch them and even try them on if they are textiles, footwear or cosmetics, and that is something he can only do in a commercial establishment.
All this means that the influx to physical stores has not been significantly reduced. The consumer wants to make purchases online, but also wants to enjoy the pleasure of going to stores.
Faced with this situation, the market has had to adapt. If just a few years ago many classic physical stores were encouraged by online sales, now it is the stores that originally emerged as e-commerce that are making the leap to brick and mortar by opening physical stores.
The physical point of sale as part of the digital strategy
All of the above highlights that there is no longer this war between e-commerce and a physical store. Companies have finally understood that both concepts can coexist. What’s more, the barriers between online stores and physical establishments are increasingly blurred.
A consumer can go to the physical store of their favorite fashion brand and try on all the clothes they like, but decide not to make their purchase at that time. And yet, then buy the clothes you tried on from your mobile when you get home.
It can also happen that a consumer sees something in an online store and does not catch their attention. But a few days later he sees it in the brand’s store and then decides to buy it at that moment.
Consumer trends change, so marketing must be able to adapt and give the public exactly what they want at all times. Currently, it seems that what is most liked is the perfect combination between online business and offline business. Giving the customer the greatest freedom to choose where, how and when they buy.