US retailers fall short of consumer expectations
Big US department stores are falling short of customer expectations in the digital age, with 86% of consumers preferring "experience stores" to traditional outlets, according to a survey by GPShopper. 85% of the 1,200 US adults surveyed bought products based on online recommendations, while more than one third said they felt nothing when shopping in traditional stores. Retailers such as Warby Parker, Ulta and Apple, which offer the chance to "experience the brand" instead of simply selling products, are the sector's big winners, according to GlobalData Retail Managing Director Neil Saunders.

Retailers are still coming up short on winning shoppers over with in-store experiences.

More than one-third of shoppers said they "feel nothing" when asked about their initial reaction after shopping in stores, GPShopper found in its latest report, "Reality of Retail: Consumer Connection."

GPShopper's study, which was conducted with research firm YouGov, asked roughly 1,200 U.S. adults what innovations — both digital and physical — they want retailers to incorporate in stores.

The survey found:

86 percent of shoppers like "experience stores," where they can test products in stores but buy on mobile or online, similar to the Samsung store concept.

85 percent like the idea of product recommendations based on ratings, similar to what Amazon

80 percent like buying items online and picking purchases up in stores, as Wal-Mart Target

78 percent like stores that were first online and then developed physical storefronts, similar to Warby Parker.

"We believe in retail but also think [stores] need to evolve to meet the modern consumer," said Maya Mikhailov, CMO and co-founder of GPShopper.

"The modern consumer is connecting to retail digitally. ... The most important device for them is the mobile phone."

Mikhailov added that traditionally brick-and-mortar retailers are now "stumped" about what to do with excess square footage amid the age of digital. And as evidenced by GPShopper's latest survey, many retail companies have yet to hit a high note with consumers' emotions.

Following "feeling nothing," many shoppers appear to be "anxious."