What is ROPO and how to take advantage of it in your e-commerce?

Attention entrepreneurs because this new type of purchase will be very interesting for those who have not yet explored it. In this article we explain what ROPO is and we give you our advice so that you can boost your business by implementing it.

Who does not spend a good time, at some point of the day, reviewing the promotions of their favorite store, reviewing the entries of a marketplace or researching that notebook that we saw in an Instagram ad?

Even if it’s flawless, there’s a variety of prices, descriptions and comments grab our attention, sometimes we don’t click the button.

Some users wait for the next day to go to the physical store and then, yes, we say goodbye to the seller with the precious notebook in our hands.

This behavior is called ROPO (Research Online, Purchase Offline, which means “Research Online, Buy Offline”).

The term refers to the procedure by which the consumer makes a purchase: first, they are informed about the product on the internet and then purchase it in a physical location. In this case, the internet serves to avoid doubts, compare prices, ratings, reviews.

But… does this mean that your online store is displaced from the circuit? No way! We are going to learn everything about the ROPO effect so you can see how e-commerce can take advantage of this dynamic to boost business.

The ROPO consumer

If there is something that characterizes this consumer, it is that they plan their purchase. Before carrying out the transaction, compare prices, see qualities of the product, possibilities of means of payment, look for nearby stores where you can interact with the item, etc.

This is an informed consumer. The immediacy of the online channel facilitates this planning and takes advantage of it.

What draws the attention of this type of buyer is that after the investigation, finally, the purchase is made in a store. What is this about? The reasons can be several:

• Need to verify the quality of the product. Having the item in your hands and verifying that its characteristics are like those that appear detailed on the web can generate greater security at the time of purchase.
• Need to inquire with the store staff. When it comes to guarantees or return periods, this buyer probably feels more secure knowing that, in the event of an inconvenience, he can go to a physical place where he can make a claim.
• Need to take the product immediately to save shipping costs and not be conditioned by delivery times.

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ROPO and multichannel interaction

This consumer practice has consequences in both digital and traditional marketing. And that is why a multi-channel interaction occurs.

Although consumers have appropriated the new technologies, acquiring new habits, they still do not reject the purchase in the physical establishment. And that is why both the marketing and traditional strategies must interact with each other.

During the “product research” process, digital marketing must apply strategies that include videos, recommendations by , a blog with valuable content, offers and discounts, so that later the consumer approaches the physical store.

Once there, traditional marketing strategies take over: you have to pay attention and invest in good customer service and packaging to make the purchase happen.

ROPO for traditional and digital commerce!

Although the ROPO favors offline commerce —because the transaction is carried out in the physical establishment—, the use of social networks and new technologies has transformed consumer habits and also their expectations: the thirst for information takes center stage.

That is why investing in digital marketing and a good strategy to position the products and achieve online visibility is extremely important in this new type of purchase.

If a business has a physical location, it should not hesitate to sell its products online through its online store, or using a marketplace.

In this case it is necessary to be punctilious. The consumer wants and needs information. Due to this, a detailed description of the product, number of units available, possibility of making reservations, means of contact and location of the physical store are data that cannot be missing.

The ROPO effect in my online business

The ROPO effect can become a problem for our online business.

The interaction between the physical and digital channels forces entrepreneurs to adapt to the , that is, to use communication strategies to be in contact with potential customers through different channels such as e-mail, social networks, website.

The ROPO effect is a challenge for those businesses that only operate online. These should make an effort to convince the potential client that it is much more comfortable and profitable to buy from home.

However, in the same way that the ROPO effect exists, we also find the other side of the coin: showrooming. In this case, the buyer needs to look at and touch the product in the physical store and then look for cheaper prices on the web and make the purchase through the latter channel.

In both cases, the ideal would be not to fight these social tendencies but to use them for the benefit of our enterprise.

But how do we do this? Here are some ideas that you can apply in a simple way, based on the fact that we have online commerce:

1. Create valuable content. Give useful information, tricks, advice or ways to use your products on your website or social networks. The buyer is not only looking for prices, but also entertainment.

To learn more about this point, we recommend you read our guide on .

1. Testimonials build confidence in the potential buyer. Creating videos with the testimonials of other clients and uploading them to the web is a great way for them to know you. Remember that reviews are relevant at the time of purchase.
2. Take care of him. Make a detailed description of the products offered. Avoid by all means disappointing the customer with a product that does not match the information provided on the web so that they buy again.
3. Send personalized offers, such as vouchers, discount codes or exclusive promotions.
4. The weekly ones with exclusive discounts are a good option to seduce the customer.
5. Offer free shipping. It is important to analyze this idea carefully so that it does not represent a loss for the business. If you can offer this service on some products, it is a very effective strategy to make sales!
6. Use marketplaces. Buyers and sellers from all over the world converge on these platforms. In them you can find a wide variety of public. In exchange for a fee and/or a commission for each transaction, your business can access potential customers with good traffic.

These are just a few suggestions. The key to capitalizing on the ROPO effect is understanding why it occurs and adapting to new customer habits and behaviors.

If we want to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the ROPO effect, it is necessary to enhance the options that virtuality gives us.

A good digital marketing strategy, knowledge of , help build a more personalized contact with the potential customer.

Great challenges can become great opportunities to grow your business!