With a few clicks, visitors to the FAO Schwarz Web site can view live-action pictures of the Star Wars boutique at the flagship store in New York, then zoom in and make a purchase. Banana Republic stores in New York and Santa Monica, Calif., boast Web stations with sleek laptops where customers can order items that aren't on the shelves. As the cruise the mall, they can scan stuff they want and let friends and family know via the Web. The goal of these efforts isn't to simply shift store sales to the Web site or vice versa, but to create a synergy that spurs more sales overall.
Some retailers say they already are seeing growth in one selling venue bolster sales in another.
A number of retailers say that catalogs spur impulse purchases. Nordstrom Inc. and Hammacher Schlemmer report spikes in sales at stores and on the Web whenever catalogs are mailed. Conversely, some companies find that their Web sites are drawing a new breed of customer. Sharper Image Corp., seller of Q Balls and massage chairs, says its Internet site has attracted shoppers that are five to 10 years younger than those who traditionally buy from the stores. All three channels are growing at a nice pace.