'Showrooming' threat under control -US retail CFO survey

* Retail CFOs see 5.9 pct rise in 2012 online sales -BDO

* Sales seen up 4.5 pct, same-store sales seen up 4.1 pct

* 88 percent say showrooming not a threat to bottom line

By Jessica Wohl

Oct 2 (Reuters) - Finance chiefs at dozens of U.S. retailersthink their companies have so-called showrooming - thephenomenon of shoppers using brick-and-mortar stores to checkout merchandise but then buy it online - under control,according to a poll released Tuesday.

What CFOs are more concerned about is how consumerconfidence may be affected by next month's presidentialelection, according to an annual poll by BDO USA, the assurance,tax and financial consulting firm.

An overwhelming majority of chief financial officerssurveyed, 88 percent, said that they are not concerned aboutshowrooming. The practice has become a larger issue as moreshoppers use their smartphones and tablets while in stores tocheck competitors' prices and even make purchases.

Showrooming has had a major impact on consumer electronics,with chains such as Best Buy Co Inc stung by shoppersvisiting stores just to look over merchandise rather than buy.Several chains have stepped up efforts to stock exclusive itemsor sell goods with unique codes to help mitigate the practice.

"Showrooming is not a fad or something that is just cool todo for the moment and will pass," said Stephen Wyss, partner inthe Retail and Consumer Products Practice at BDO USA. "I thinkit's a real indicator of consumer behavior, and how consumersare going to continue to behave, using technology, to maximizetheir savings and the efficiency of their shopping."

But retailers surveyed by BDO appeared to be fairlyconfident that their strategies will offset the impact ofshowrooming, Wyss said.

One-quarter of CFOs said that their primary strategy tocounter showrooming is improving customer service. Another 25percent said they are expanding options for in-store pickups andreturns, 17 percent are using exclusive goods, and another 17percent are working on matching prices with online retailers.

"Retailers are focusing on that customer experience andcustomer service aspect that many consumers will value, the keyis how much will consumers value it over a bottom line price,"he said.

One area of focus is to continue to improve mobile shopping,with 77 percent maintaining their investments in mobile commercefor the upcoming holiday season, while 19 percent plan toincrease their spending, BDO said.

Retail CFOs anticipate that online sales will rise 5.9percent this year, while they predict total sales will rise 4.5percent and sales in comparable stores will rise 4.1 percent,according to BDO.

Online sales during the holiday season, traditionally thebiggest quarter of the year for retailers, are expected to risejust 4.6 percent, according to the survey.

"I do think that the holiday season expectations on theonline side are tempered, along with brick and mortar, withwhere is consumer confidence going to be and how the election isgoing to impact that," said Wyss.

Separately, the National Retail Federation said on Tuesdaythat it expects U.S. holiday season sales to rise 4.1 percent,slower than in the prior two years, weighed down by mixedeconomic data and political uncertainty.

The sixth annual BDO Retail Compass Survey of CFOs wasconducted in August and September.

(Reporting by Jessica Wohl in Chicago; editing by Brad Dorfmanand Matthew Lewis)

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Keywords: RETAIL CFO/SURVEY