Although online stores are dominating the retail sector, that doesn’t mean that brick-and-mortar stores don’t have a place in the economy. Apple is a retail giant but still has a strong presence within the local community. They maintain this while providing a strong level of online convenience. If you want your retail store to compete with eCommerce empires, here’s what you need to do.
Harness the Power of Mobile
The first thing you need to do is embrace mobile. Even though you may run a traditional establishment, you need to focus on meeting the needs of mobile shoppers. 90% of shoppers use their phones while in a store, so embrace apps and use them to your advantage. Use them as a way to offer discounts or scannable QR codes.
You can even offer day-specific discounts to attract more foot traffic. If you’ve ever played online bingo games, you’ll notice that certain promotions run on certain days. This includes 2p to 2k Thursdays and 6 hours of daily free bingo between certain hours. You also have the option to activate sign-up bonuses through convenient UX-friendly apps. By embracing promotions such as this, you have a way to digitally regulate your discounts and offerings, while driving people to your physical store.
You can also use apps to offer surveys in return for discounts, which can again, be activated at the till by scanning your device. All in all, brick-and-mortar stores, if they want to compete with the eCommerce giants, have to embrace the digital world in one way or another, and mobile is proving to be the best way to do this.
Add Value to In-Store Experiences
Another thing you can do is add value to your in-store experience. Same-day delivery is something that online stores can’t compete with, not to mention that you can offer in-store events. If there is a new product being released, you can give people the chance to demo it in-store, which again, is something they can’t take advantage of when shopping online.
Price matching online stores is also another useful thing to offer, as it means shoppers are always getting the best deal possible. Make sure that this function is automated, and take note of particular products that are being price-matched often. By doing this, you may make a loss every so often, but it is a good way for you to build customer loyalty which is something you cannot put a price on. By taking the time to think outside the box and by offering things that online stores simply can’t, you can give your retail store the edge, which is a fantastic way for you to ensure that you can survive even in a digital age.
With more and more people shopping online, the landscape is more competitive than ever. With that being said, by taking the time to focus on how you can stand apart, and by being innovative, you will soon find that it is possible for you to not only survive but thrive.
