Shoppers peruse clothing at Kohl’s in Clifton, New Jersey (Seth Wenig/Associated Press)
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Observers say the shift from online ordering to in-store shopping is accelerating and will help the initial freight environment recover.
In-store shopping is already on the rise as the retail industry resets after the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the upcoming holiday season is likely to accelerate this trend.
“Brick-and-mortar stores aren’t dead. They’re evolving,” said Jeff Wolpoff, senior vice president of e-commerce for Rider Systems. “Retail therapy is not dead. People want interaction. Retail is alive and well.”
Rider recently released its 10th annual e-commerce consumer survey. The survey finds that enthusiasm for e-commerce remains strong after the pandemic devastated downtowns and retail stores, but consumers’ appetite for in-store shopping is growing at a much faster rate than 12 months ago. I found that it is increasing. Pedestrian traffic in parks across the United States.
In the 2024 results, 61% of survey participants reported that they shopped in-store because they truly enjoyed the experience, an increase of 21 percentage points compared to the 2023 results. Additionally, 35% said they would shop in-store instead of waiting to order online, an increase of 4 points from last year. Meanwhile, 15% said package theft was the reason, an increase of 8 points from the previous year.
Data shows that apparel and beauty shoppers are particularly keen on increasing in-store visits. Approximately 54% of survey respondents prefer to purchase clothing in physical stores, an increase of 9 points. Meanwhile, 41% of cosmetics buyers prefer to shop at a brand’s brick-and-mortar store or at a department or convenience store. , which also rose by 9 percentage points.
Still, in the 2024 survey, apparel was the top e-commerce purchase category, accounting for 82% of respondents. Following in second and third place were the vitamins and supplements (54%) and household products (50%) categories.
“What we’re seeing now is more of an evolution toward an omnichannel environment,” Wolpoff said.
Ryder ranks No. 8 on the Transport Topics Top 100 list of North America’s largest logistics companies and No. 6 on the TT 100 list of largest rental transportation companies.
As a result, retailers are holding onto inventory. Truck visits to retail stores increased 7.7% in August compared to the same month last year, according to Motive Technologies’ Big Box Retail Index, which tracks truck visits to the warehouses of the top 50 U.S. retailers.
Related: U.S. economy posted solid 3% growth last quarter
According to fleet management technology supplier Motiv, warehouse visitor numbers have hit record highs in several areas.
In its September economic report, Motive said travel to department stores and apparel retailers increased by 27.1% year over year, while travel to grocery stores and superstore retailers increased by 14% year over year, compared to the past four years. It was pointed out that the highest level has been reached.
Inventory-to-sales ratios, or the amount of inventory held relative to sales, are expected to continue to rise as retailers continue to restock for the holiday season, but the possibility of a port strike on the East Coast and Gulf Coast I also added it because of the gender.
Brick-and-mortar heavy industries such as apparel, department stores, grocery stores, and superstores saw the highest levels of inventory replenishment in August, and sales at these stores will continue to increase through the remainder of 2024, according to Motive. It’s called deaf.
Volumes at home goods stores are also improving, and Ryder’s Wolpoff said retailers are a growing segment of the company’s customer base.
“This data bodes well for the trucking industry heading into 2025,” Hamish Woodrow, Motive’s head of strategic analysis, told Transport Topics on September 27. “Momentum is very positive.”
It’s not a false dawn. Instead, he said, unless the majority of retailers’ forecasts are wrong, the data suggests this trend is here to stay.
Woodrow’s truckload business is booming, with small and medium-sized trucking companies particularly benefiting, while sub-truckload carriers are also expected to see some windfall benefits.
As for freight rates, Woodrow said there will be some price fluctuations toward the end of 2024, but not significant increases.
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