"Phygital" A New Way of Shopping

Dominic Wiswell
Jan 1
3 min read

You’ve probably heard the word phygital floating around, but at its core, it’s a simple idea. Phygital shopping is about blending the best parts of digital convenience with the trust and familiarity of shopping in person. Customers still want to walk your aisles, talk to your team, and choose their own produce. They also want accurate online information, easy ordering options, and a checkout experience that just works.

Research published in the Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services and Business Research journals shows that customers move fluidly between online and in-store touchpoints, often researching digitally before shopping in person and expecting consistency across both.

Why Phygital Works Especially Well for Independents

Phygital shopping tends to work best when it feels natural, and that’s where independent grocers already have an advantage. Your customers know your store, recognize the people who work there, and trust the experience. Digital touchpoints don’t replace that relationship. They simply support it.

That balance is becoming more important as shopping behavior continues to shift. According to forecasts cited in The Future of Phygital Shopping and consumer behavior research from Deloitte and PwC, digital grocery is expected to become one of the largest U.S. e-commerce categories by 2026. At the same time, those same studies emphasize that physical stores remain the anchor for local trust, especially in food retail.

In fact, research across multiple studies, including surveys summarized in Do People Really Care if It’s Phygital Retail?, shows that roughly 73% of shoppers move across multiple channels from apps and websites to physical stores before making a purchase. As a result, in-store automation and phygital experiences are increasingly viewed as expectations rather than perks. Customers assume that what they see online will match what’s on the shelf.

Independent grocers are often better positioned to meet this expectation because they can keep things aligned more easily. When inventory data is clean and systems stay connected, digital discovery works in your favor. If a customer searches for something specific, like “local organic honey,” and your store shows up with accurate, real-time availability, you’re far more likely to win that trip.

Most importantly, phygital reinforces what independents already do well. Digital tools can help customers plan, find, and confirm what they need, while the in-store experience delivers personal service, familiarity, and trust. When those pieces work together, the experience feels seamless and dependable, not forced or overly technical.

Where Operations Quietly Make the Difference

One theme that shows up again and again in the research is that phygital success depends less on flashy tools and more on operational clarity. If pricing, inventory, and product data aren’t clean and connected, digital experiences tend to fall apart quickly.

For many independent grocers, the challenge isn’t ambition. It’s bandwidth. Keeping POS settings aligned, inventory accurate, and online information up to date takes ongoing attention. Over time, systems drift as assortments change, promotions evolve, and staff rotate.

This is where steady support matters. Regular system reviews, inventory cleanup, and configuration updates help ensure that digital touchpoints reflect what’s really happening in-store. The goal isn’t to add complexity. It’s to reduce friction for both staff and customers.

Using Phygital to Strengthen What You Already Do Well

Phygital shopping doesn’t ask independent grocers to give up what makes them unique. In fact, it works best when it highlights those strengths. Research shows that customers value phygital experiences most when they enhance trust, convenience, and personal connection, not when they feel automated or impersonal.

Independent grocers can use phygital strategies to: