Online search, offline purchase

More than a third of the customers who do their shopping at Homebase, a British DIY chain, have done research online before visiting an actual store to make their purchases. As Andy McWilliams, head of multi-channel at Homebase, said at a conference, this underlines how important it is to see the online business and in-store retailing as a whole. “Even if you think you’re a multi-channel retailer, online and offline often act almost independently,” he said. “You get different offers online and offline. They have to be the same, and communication has to be the same.” The Homebase website offers customers the option to “reserve & collect”, which means purchasing products online and picking them up in-store.