Definition: Click and Mortar

Click and Mortar (or Bricks and Clics) is an expression of Anglo-Saxon origin. In French, this anglicism can be literally translated by “clic et mortar”.

Click and Mortar : Definition & Origins

Widely used in the field of e-commerce, the term Click and Mortar designates a company having an online sales activity while having at least one physical sales outlet. For example, Boulanger, Darty, BUT or IKEA are Click & Mortar.

This expression is frequently used in comparison with Brick and Mortar or Pure Player. It appeared in the 2000s to mark the difference between companies basing their business on the traditional sales channel and those focusing on e-commerce.

From Click and Mortar to an omnichannel strategy

If the opposition between Brick and Mortar and Click and Mortar companies is still common, it tends to disappear. Following the new consumption modes and the new expectations of the consumers, the companies must adapt their strategy.

Today, the challenge is no longer to create a real dissociation between the physical point of sale and online commerce but rather to create a complementarity by establishing an omnichannel. To achieve this, Brick and Mortar stores must first develop their presence on the Internet and move towards a Click and Mortar model. Then, they will have to continue their digital transformation by unifying their inventory and data (collected through different channels) to offer their customers a unique, personalized, omnichannel shopping experience.

Today, creating a complementary offline and online relationship is essential for the successful development of a business or a property.

Companies that do not adapt to the new consumer demands are bound to fall on hard times or close down. Adopting a phygital strategy is necessary: many studies estimate that the businesses absent from the digital universe will disappear within 10 years (Source : Dynamique Mag)