Online shopping recently hit a major retail milestone, landing another blow to brick and mortar stores. The total market share of ‘non-store’ or online US retail sales was higher than general merchant sales for the first time in history according to a report from the Commerce Department.
Seeing as online shopping is often quicker, more convenient and cheaper than visiting a retailer in person, this has become the preferred for many.
But that doesn’t mean to say traditional stores are dead and buried, as the physical experience can still afford a number of distinct advantages, especially if you implement one or more of the following improvements.
- Upgrade Your POS
Another reason behind the success of online retail is the seamless nature of payments, and in-store experiences should be no different. Thankfully, modern Point of Sale (POS) systems provide fast and easy processing for all manner of payment options.
Best of all, the features that benefit your business can also benefit your customers. For example, the flexibility of additional POS software licenses means you can ring up customers twice as fast during the busy selling season.
- Provide a Hands-on Experience
Online reviews and product photographs only go so far in helping someone decide whether or not to proceed with a purchase. Whereas in-store, you’re able to provide your customers with a more ‘hands-on’ experience.
After all, a survey carried out by Retail Dive revealed that the ability to ‘see, touch, feel and try out’ items was the number one reason why people prefer shopping in physical stores instead of online.
- Appeal to Every Sense
With a hands-on experience, you will appeal to your customers’ sight and touch. But what about their other senses? According to the Association for Consumer Research, customers aged between 25 and 49 tend to shop longer and buy more when foreground music – in particular slower, more contemporary music – is played.
And while a lot depends on the nature of your business, don’t underestimate the power and potential of smell. One study found that shoppers spent an average of 31.8 per cent more money in a home décor store when it was scented with orange.
- Instil Happiness in Your Workforce
It is not easy keeping your members of staff constantly cheerful and engaged, but because happiness is contagious and will rub off on customers, making the effort is well worthwhile.
First and foremost, try to hire employees with uplifting personalities rather than those that are focused on selling and making commission. Secondly, let your employees choose their own in-store responsibilities for greater empowerment. And, last but not least, train your workforce in the art of happiness.
- Bring the Digital Experience In-store
As opposed to fighting e-commerce, why not embrace it? There are several technologies you can take advantage of that will position your in-store experience above that of the online world.
Options include QR codes that shoppers can scan for more product information and a mobile app with in-store maps of item locations.
