According to DigitasLBi’s 2015 Connected Commerce study, shoppers around the world expect omni-channel, multi-screen experiences, with the average consumer using a total of five devices when making a purchase. The study reveals the latest retail trends across 17 international countries.

Key findings in brief:

• Right after the Internet, the traditional brick & mortar store is the second preferred information source for consumers. 65% of consumers regularly practice showrooming. They gather information about a product in a retail store and buy it later online, often at a lower price.
   
•  ROPO (research online, purchase offline) is even more common. About 86% of the respondents use this method. They use the internet to find more information about the product, price or availability but prefer to make their purchase in a store after having seen or tried the product directly.
   
• Sales staff using digital tools are perceived as beneficial for consumer as they can support them in finding more tailored products, new ideas, etc. There's a need to innovate the retail experience: stores need to become more agile, more digital, more connected and smarter at using data.
   
• Consumer reviews have considerable influence on purchasing decisions. 66% of consumers always or regularly read online reviews before purchasing an article.
   
• Retailers need to personalize the shopping experience in order to boost sales. 62% of the respondents claim they buy more or more often when met with a personalized retail experience.
   
• There is also a demand for enhanced services to save people time and money: click & collect, one-hour delivery services, one-click shopping, etc.
   
• Social commerce is gaining more and more tractions and influences purchases both online and offline.

To find more detailed information on the study and its results, visit http://www.digitaslbi.com/connectedcommerce2015data/.