Sure Signs That 'Showrooming' Is Killing Your Store (And What To Do About It)
March 20, 2025
These days, owning a successful physical store can feel like scaling a steep mountain – the going is inevitably tough, and there’s sure to be rocky terrain ahead. Admittedly, more shoppers still choose physical purchases, but this reality rests on a delicate scale that’s slowly starting to tip in favor of online buying.
Inevitably, this balancing act has led to notable changes in the way shoppers browse, even when they are in a physical store. Most pressingly, store owners have noticed the rise of a trend known as ‘showrooming’, which sees customers taking pictures of in-store items before finding them cheaper online.
As a shop owner, you’re well aware of how quickly this could kill your business. After all, comparing online and in-store prices is a lot like assuming a restaurant is trying to rip you off because you could buy your food for a fraction of the price if you cooked at home. Stores will always lose the price battle because, unlike e-commerce retailers, they have staff to pay and bills to cover.
So, how can you possibly survive the showrooming influx? Carry on reading to find out.
Key Takeaways on Signs that “showrooming” is Killing Your Store
- Embrace a Fun Approach to Showrooming: Using humour in signage like 'I don’t look this pretty online' can dissuade showrooming while improving customer engagement.
- Encourage On-the-Spot Purchases: Offering payment options like Splitit or Apple Pay enables customers to buy immediately, reducing the risk of lost sales.
- Be Proactive with Price Matching: Proactively inform customers about your price-matching policy to prevent them from assuming they'll find better deals online.
- Enhance the In-Store Experience: Providing personalised service, expert advice, and engaging demonstrations builds customer loyalty and adds value.
- Use Interactive In-Store Tech: Tools like QR codes or social media photo stations can engage shoppers and reduce showrooming behaviour.
- Create Memorable Experiences: Offering genuine conversations, tailored advice, and thoughtful interactions can leave a lasting impression.
- Turn Showrooming into an Opportunity: Accept that customers will take pictures and use it as a chance to promote your brand or engage in conversation.
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START NOW# 1 - Take a Tongue-In-Cheek Approach
Getting defensive about showrooming won’t stop people from doing it, but charging up and kicking out any customer who uses their phone will significantly impact in-store experiences, and your reputation on the whole.
So, why not take a more tongue-in-cheek approach that gets customers onside? After all, they’re going to take photos whether you like it or not – so have fun and turn this to your advantage.
A great option here would be to incorporate ‘anti-showrooming’ slogans into your store branding. Placing signs like ‘I don’t look this pretty online’, or something similar next to your highest priced items is sure to get people laughing, as well as giving them pause before taking that fatal picture.
Equally, you could look for fun ways to distract in-store phone usage, like shareable social media photo stations, or interactive QR codes that can see people’s phones tied up until they’ve forgotten all about the pictures they meant to take.
# 2 - Make it Easier For Customers To Buy In the Moment
Sometimes, showrooming isn’t intentional. Let’s say a customer sees a product they love. They might know they want to buy it, but they don’t have the funds right now. So, they go away intending to come back and, in the meantime, they browse for that same item online simply out of curiosity. There, they find it for a fraction of the price, and just like that, their intention to return to your store is gone with the e-commerce wind.
Now, let’s consider a different scenario. A customer sees a product they love. They know they want to buy it, but they don’t have the funds right now. Then they notice that you offer the option to pay over time using interest-free software like Splitit. Just like that, they feel better able to make that purchase there and then, saving the risk of them ever finding similar, cheaper products elsewhere.
So, what’s the moral of this story? Accessible payment options are often key to securing in-the-moment sales. Obviously, this includes offering all modern payment solutions like Apple and Google Pay, alongside good old cash. Additional options, like a physical version of the installment solutions now offered by many e-commerce retailers, could also give your sales a closing edge that stops showrooming in its tracks.
# 3 - Be Proactive With Price Matching
Not every retailer can afford online price matching. Remember, your overheads are a whole lot higher than those of online sellers, and stretching your profits too far could be just as catastrophic to your store as showrooming.
However, a lower, price-matched sale is sometimes better than no sale at all. Plus, it could lead to returns over time if the person in question becomes a loyal customer. But, if you do want to go down the price-matching route, there’s still a risk that customers simply won’t understand that you offer this opportunity, and they might not feel brave enough to ask. Hence why a proactive approach is always best.
You could tie this in with your tongue-in-cheek approach, with fliers stating things like ‘Think you’ll get me cheaper online? Think again…’ Or, you could simply train your employees to approach customers they see taking snaps, and to explain your price-matching process. This way, at least you can ensure there’s still money coming through the till, and that you enjoy the bonus of customer loyalty, rather than your competitors.
# 4 - Do What Only YOU Can Do
Customers won’t feel all that guilty going ahead and buying your stuff online if your in-store experience doesn’t offer anything that openly justifies the additional expense. After all, that customer doesn’t care, or probably even consider, your additional overheads, because that’s not something that impacts them.
So, why not show them why they should spend more with you by offering service benefits that only YOU and your in-store team can provide? We’re taking personal shopping, in-store demonstrations, and even just a great chat about the weather.
The more consumers interact with and benefit from your employee’s knowledge bases and personal approach, the less able they’ll feel to walk away and do those people out of a sale. Plus, this unique and distinctive service approach has the benefit of ensuring a more loyal customer base that could well lead to lifelong spending that would’ve walked straight out of the door otherwise.
Conclusion
Are you so scared of showrooming that it keeps you up at night? Honestly, you wouldn’t be a quality retailer if you weren’t. But, it’s time to stand up and stake your claim on a customer base that you know you can serve better than any of your online counterparts. So, stop shaking in the corner every time a customer pulls out their phone for an unwanted snap, and steal back the limelight with these top tips.
