#ROIChat, A Weekly Twitter Discussion: ‘Showrooming’ During Black Friday

Welcome all to #ROIChat, a weekly Twitter discussion looping in the latest trends and most profitable practices in the retail industry.

Black Friday, traditionally one of the busiest shopping days of the year, is nearing. Retailers everywhere are gearing up: Macy’s has added Black Friday-themed enhancements to its mobile app, Kohl’s Facebook fans will have access to exclusive savings, and Kmart and Wal-Mart are starting their sales at 8:00 pm on Thanksgiving night.

Still, big-box stores are going to have to deal with “showrooming” — i.e., when in-store shoppers use their smartphones to identify cheaper deals online and then make their purchases elsewhere. What can retailers do to offset the effect of showrooming during Black Friday? To join the conversation, simply chime in on our Twitter page with the #ROIChat hashtag.

Unfortunately for me, I’ll be in a turkey comatose (mmmm, turkey comatose) and will be unable to leave the house on Black Friday. Happy Thanksgiving everybody!