[xyzzy21]

Could it be that since humans are social primates, online simply can never work as well as face-to-face.

I work in sales and direct face-to-face sales ALWAYS has better close rates, happier customers, etc. than indirect sales through phone or internet.

[greedo]

Close rates are better because a captive customer is at a severe disadvantage to the psychological tactics used in sales.

[cseleborg]

Objection, your honor!

I sold private whisky casks to individuals or groups. Before the pandemic, I would sit down at the table with them and guide them through a tasting, several hours long. My close rate was close to 50%.

With the pandemic, I switched to shipping samples and moderating the tasting online via Zoom or Teams. My close rate dropped to noise level.

I don't think I fundamentally changed my "tactics", and since it involved drinking more than a few sips of alcohol, I never required the customer to sign the order form in my presence.

In my experience, physical presence was waaaay more conducive to sales.

[greedo]

You're agreeing with me. Psychologically, once you have a potential buyer in your physical presence (especially outside of their environment), you have a tremendous advantage in closing.

And sales where you're giving a sample like whisky? The social obligation to reciprocate for receiving something "free" is very strong. The idea behind giving a sample in a sales pitch isn't to get them to like the whisky (though it helps eliminate/reduce resistance), it's to incur that social obligation.

[leereeves]

As a customer, I much prefer online shopping in no small part because I don't want to deal with salespeople.

[ilaksh]

There is Zoom and other stuff involving faces.