While I certainly use stores as showrooms quite a bit, mostly book stores since I usually just look for books to buy used or for my Kindle, but if they can manage to impress me with their service and they have reasonable prices, I will buy from them.
Years ago a 15 year old version of myself ventured into a few stores looking for an HD TV to go with my PS3. I was already pretty knowledgable about the TVs and I had found a few online for $600-700 (At the time, this was pretty much as cheap as they came) that seemed decent and I wanted to take a look at them in person before buying one. I think I went to Walmart, Best Buy, Target, ABC Warehouse, and finally Circuit City. At almost every store the "salespeople" knew almost nothing about what they were selling and there products were way too expensive for what they were. The only store that stood out to me was Circuit City. Not only did they have a good selection of quality TVs but the salesman I spoke with impressed the hell out me as he was the first that knew more about the TVs than I did. After I told him I was going to use the TV with my PS3, he grabbed an open PS3 from their storage room and hooked it up to a few of the TVs so I could try them out. I was so impressed by the level of service that I went back to the store the next day and bought an $800 TV (I think it was available online for $750 at the time) and I have never regreted the price difference.
As long as brick & mortar retailers can offer service beyond what an online retailer can do, they will do fine.
Years ago a 15 year old version of myself ventured into a few stores looking for an HD TV to go with my PS3. I was already pretty knowledgable about the TVs and I had found a few online for $600-700 (At the time, this was pretty much as cheap as they came) that seemed decent and I wanted to take a look at them in person before buying one. I think I went to Walmart, Best Buy, Target, ABC Warehouse, and finally Circuit City. At almost every store the "salespeople" knew almost nothing about what they were selling and there products were way too expensive for what they were. The only store that stood out to me was Circuit City. Not only did they have a good selection of quality TVs but the salesman I spoke with impressed the hell out me as he was the first that knew more about the TVs than I did. After I told him I was going to use the TV with my PS3, he grabbed an open PS3 from their storage room and hooked it up to a few of the TVs so I could try them out. I was so impressed by the level of service that I went back to the store the next day and bought an $800 TV (I think it was available online for $750 at the time) and I have never regreted the price difference.
As long as brick & mortar retailers can offer service beyond what an online retailer can do, they will do fine.