The term "brick and click" refers to retail professionals who have both a physical store and an online store.
Additional synonymous expressions used to describe this type of business model are “bricks and clicks” along with “click and mortar.”
In summary, retailers who adopt the brick-and-click model offer their customers two different purchasing channels:
- An offline shopping channel: this corresponds to the physical store.
- An online shopping channel: this corresponds to the ecommerce website.
The brick-and-click business model often involves an indirect distribution channel and has many advantages for sellers. With the evolution of consumer habits, where many transactions now take place online, it has become essential for many sectors to have an online sales platform.
Additionally, with this system, retailers can sell outside their catchment area. While the physical store attracts local customers, the ecommerce site allows sales anywhere and at any time.
The ecommerce site that complements the physical store also allows for a wider range of products than in store.
For buyers, the brick-and-click model offers the opportunity to search and compare products online before going to the store to make the purchase.
It’s also a secure model for buyers who do not wish to make an online purchase. They can reserve a product on the ecommerce site and then see it for themselves in the store before buying it.
For certain types of products, such as large appliances or furniture, the brick-and-click model is ideal. It’s always more reassuring to make a high-value purchase when it’s possible to visit a physical store.
With the brick-and-click model, human interaction is once again at the center of commerce.
Unlike fully digital shopping experiences where interactions are more limited and traditional brick-and-mortar stores, brick and click offers a reassuring compromise.
By placing human interaction at the heart of commercial transactions, B2C retailers and B2B businesses alike benefit from increased customer loyalty and trust. But they can also continue to attract online shoppers with their online platform. Thus, all consumer profiles find their needs met.
