Shoppers are browsing online, but are not always looking to buy online. Inventory visibility is all the more important as consumers want the option to see what is in stock and where they can  find it nearby.

According to a Digital Commerce 360 and Bizrate Insights survey in March 2023 of 1,069 online shoppers, 68% of consumers checked online for product availability at a nearby store during the preceding six-month period.

The percentage of retail chains in the Top 500 offering in-store stock status online in 2023 grew to 66.9%. That’s up from 64.7% in 2022.

As consumers become hybrid shoppers — shopping both online and in physical stores — the option to search a retailer’s website to see where the nearest store is located makes sense. In 2023, 96.4% of Top 500 retail chains offered store locator services online. While down slightly compared with 2022 (97.1%), it’s still higher than 95.7% of retail chains that offered store locators online in 2021.