The internet has changed the way we shop, and retailers need to keep pace. Online retail offers shoppers convenience and cost savings. Why would a customer shop instore for a product that can find cheaper online, with the purchase made at home and delivered right to their door?
For owners of brick-and-mortar stores, it means wooing customers with great deals, convenience and perks that only come with shopping instore. Shoppers need to get something more from the instore experience that they just can’t get anywhere else.
Using the latest tech, here are 7 ways you can give your shoppers a retail experience they’ll love.
1. Instant Mobile Coupons
As well as making coupons available via SMS and social media for use instore, apps like Shopkick allow your customers to access coupons while they’re shopping in your store. No need to remember to print off coupons or search through their emails or Twitter feeds for your latest offer codes. You can give shoppers the ability to scan their phone instore to instantly pull up coupons for all your offers that day.
2. Cut the Queues - with Self-Serve and Mobile Checkout
Waiting in line is one of the things shoppers hate most about the retail experience. Offer mobile checkout so customers can scan and pay for items instore via their mobiles, with no need to get in line. Internet-capable self-serve kiosks can also make it easy for store users to look up product information they need, book deliveries, make purchases and access your entire product catalogue without having to wait for staff assistance or use up any bandwidth on their own mobile devices.
3. Offers Straight to Mobile
Add geotracking capabilities to your store’s app and customers can enjoy user-generated content as soon as they step into your store. Useful store-specific information can be pushed to their devices automatically, including store opening hours, offers, sale and featured items and consumer reviews of products.
4. Give Your Shoppers Free Wi-Fi
From rearranging lunch dates on Whatsapp to browsing for prices and sharing photos of products we love, we use our mobiles more and more during shopping trips. Providing free wifi means your customers can keep in touch, including spreading the word about great deals they’ve found, more easily. Wifi is a service they’ll appreciate, allowing people to connect the way they want to without eating into their own personal data allowance. Simply, it makes your store a more attractive and convenient place to shop and hang out in.
5. Reward Instore Shopping with Social Media Link-Ups
Offer your shoppers special discounts, deals or even a free gift when they promote you via social media while they’re in your store. It could be sharing a snap of a product they love on Instagram, Tweeting your store’s name, or sharing their location or purchases via Facebook.
6. Smarter Shopping with Tablets
Tablets can be used in stores to assist shoppers and make the whole retail experience more convenient. A clever way to use them is in your dressing rooms, where customers can touch a button if they need assistance, or automatically request an item in a different size or colour.
7. Have Fun with Apps
Pair up with apps that can help enhance the instore experience for your shoppers, from fashion apps that suggest outfits, latest looks and colour combos, to food apps that recommend recipes and ingredients - whatever complements your business.
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