For a while the consumer could go to a local showroom to compare brands and models, then go online and get the price. This, of course, reduces “the numbers” at the retail store and eventually the store or the brand concludes that the brand is a poor match for the store.

Now that the retail ranks have thinned and showrooming is not so easy, I’m seeing people ordering several items, showrooming the products at home, then returning the unwanted products. This is rather expensive for the merchant — especially when free shipping is offered. However, it does offer an even cheaper purchase avenue for the end user with all of the “refurbished” units created by the returns.

—-

Now that fewer stores are available, diversity has shrunk. Formerly a consumer could make the rounds of local shops and see many brands. Now, the consumer is limited to the small number of brands that can get into the big box stores or a big online site.