According to The Wall Street Journal, web-style consumer testimonials and other online conveniences are migrating to retail.
Taking a page from the e-commerce world, companies including Cabela’s and Staples are featuring endorsements from shoppers in their product displays. These testimonials are different from the Web version in one big way: While most Web retailers leave negative ratings and reviews untouched on their sites, stores don’t; they cherry-pick the positive ones.
It is one of a number of strategies that retailers are borrowing from the Internet these days. For example, alternative payment services such as eBay Inc.’s PayPal and Bill Me Later Inc. have now become available in the physical world as cards that can be swiped at checkout or a line of credit that can be tapped at store kiosks. More stores also feature kiosks that promise Web-like comparison-shopping technology, online gift registries, and product “configurators,” or software for manufacturers that want to customize products.
Is there anything the Web can’t/won’t do to disrupt business as usual?