If traditional retailers hope to survive, they
have to turn the one big feature that internet
retailers lack—stores—from a liability into an
asset. Stores will continue to exist in any
foreseeable future—and they can be an
effective competitive weapon. Research shows
that physical stores boost online purchases:
One European retailer, for instance, reports
that it captures nearly 5% of online sales in
areas near its physical stores, but only 3%
outside those areas. Online and offline
experiences can be complementary.