The debate over whether brands should focus on online or offline retail continues, but the truth is that both models hold value. 

Consumers engage with both digital and physical shopping in different ways. They often discover products online, influenced by ads or recommendations from influencers. Still, they may choose to buy in-store or through e-commerce, depending on convenience, price/deals, or experience. Post-pandemic, both channels benefit retail brands.

An article from Mailmodo shares:

• 52% of Gen Z in the US prefer to shop online, while 48% prefer to shop in-store. 
• 47% of consumers who prefer in-store shopping cite the ease of product comparisons, and 48% prefer in-store shopping for the sake of convenience. 
• 81% of retail shoppers conduct online research before buying. 

Influencer Marketing for online retail

‍Influencer Marketing has become a crucial strategy for both online and offline retailers. Influencers don’t just drive website traffic, they also inspire in-store visits, product sellouts, and hybrid shopping experiences. According to the Digital Marketing Institute, 70% of young adults trust and get recommendations from influencers over traditional celebrities – their recommendations hold significant weight. Whether through TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, or other platforms, influencers play a key role in sharing organic recommendations of products they love, as well as collaborating with brands that align with them. Influencers drive online retail success by…

• Social shopping apps like TikTok Shop make it seamless for users to buy products directly from influencer content. Platforms integrate shopping features, reducing friction between discovery and checkout.

• Sharing product demos and reviews that increase consumer trust and lower return rates.

• Discount codes, limited drops, and product collaborations with brands create an immediate desire for their loyal audiences to buy.

Another benefit of online retail is detailed tracking of customer interactions across the digital journey. When influencers are provided with their own links and landing pages, brands can definitively attribute view-to-cart ratio and sales driven by influencer collaborations. We ran an influencer campaign with LUSH for their holiday product launch and tracked during the campaign period that 95% of visitors to the LUSH site were new. We also saw an increased intent to purchase evidenced by a view-to-cart ratio of 49.74% – an increase from before the influencer content went live on YouTube and Pinterest.  

‍Influencer Marketing for offline retail 

‍Despite the challenges of attributing how a purchase was influenced, in-store retail remains essential for many brands, and influencers play a significant role in shaping in-store shopping behaviors despite their primarily online presence. The power of working with influencers goes beyond just the trackable results. You can track the “Halo Effect” – this is when consideration and sales are made as a result of influencer activity, but not directly attributed to it. Our clients see the Halo Effect attributing up to 40% more conversions to their campaigns.

Take the #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt phenomenon for example. The hashtag has billions of views online, proving how social media directly influences purchasing decisions, and retailers have responded by dedicating in-store sections to trending products, especially in drugstores, bookstores, beauty retailers, and grocery stores. US chains like Target, Walmart, Ulta, and Barnes & Noble, and UK stores like FOYLES and Superdrug now highlight “As Seen on TikTok” items, making it easier for customers to locate influencer-recommended products. If you head into any of these stores, you can expect the shelves to look pretty empty!

We also see influencer-generated hype in stores evidenced by…

• Influencers post real-time shopping content, showing off their in-store finds, and encouraging followers to visit nearby retailers.

• Brands partnering with influencers for in-store events, pop-ups, and product launches to drive foot traffic.

Influencer Marketing isn’t just for online brands – it’s an essential strategy for all retailers. Whether encouraging impulse e-commerce purchases or driving foot traffic to physical stores, influencers bridge the gap between discovery and conversion.

For brands looking to dominate in both online and offline retail, the key is to integrate Influencer Marketing into every step of the consumer journey.If you want to explore how influencers can elevate your retail strategy, reach out to us at hello@digitalvoices.com.