A recent report by the CCIA Research Center examines how the expansion of digital and omnichannel retail options is influencing consumer behavior. The study analyzes various retail types and compares urban and rural shopping experiences to provide insights into changing consumer preferences.

The findings indicate that consumers prioritize factors such as shipping costs, travel time to stores, and return policies over brand loyalty or payment methods. This trend highlights a diminishing distinction between online and in-store shopping in the era of omnichannel retail.

For rural consumers, the availability of options like buying online with in-store pickup is particularly beneficial. It allows them to verify product availability before traveling long distances. Additionally, increased competition from home delivery services offers more choices beyond the limited local brick-and-mortar stores typically available within a 30-mile radius.

Trevor Wagener, Chief Economist and Director of the CCIA Research Center, commented on these developments: "As retailers increasingly offer consumers a mix of brick-and-mortar and e-commerce options, consumers no longer care about whether a purchase is made online or in-store, and instead care about shipping cost, travel time to the store, order time, and return policies. The biggest beneficiaries from the increase in omnichannel options are rural consumers, who typically have few brick-and-mortar options in a 30 mile radius: just three grocery stores, two department stores, and one specialty store on average."