If you’re in retail, you already know that eCommerce just keeps growing — and growing, and growing! The rise of online shopping has caused concern among brick-and-mortar retailers who worry that their stores might soon become obsolete. At the same time, webstore owners are beginning to realize the importance of a physical presence in aiding shoppers along the decision-making process. With all this talk of online versus brick-and-mortar, what’s a savvy online retailer to do?
At StorePorter, we know that this isn’t a “one or the other” scenario. With some simple strategies, you can combine the best of both worlds — the customer service of in-store and the ease of online shopping — to help your business thrive. Here’s how using multiple channels can help your retail business succeed.
Brick-and-Mortar and eCommerce Stores Work Together
Predictions show that by 2020, 75% of businesses will be digitized. But despite warring numbers between the eCommerce store and physical storefront, the two channels can unite to create a powerhouse. Case studies have shown that retail and online stores that bridge the channel gap see increased sales. Stores, chains and restaurants like Amazon, Dicks Sporting Goods, 3M, and Taco Bell have incorporated multi-channel marketing into their strategy, and experienced a boom in sales. When working together, your eCommerce store can significantly boost your sales goals by drawing in the e-crowd. The same is true of your brick-and-mortar.
Provide Winning Customer Service Online
Customer service is the thing that many digital stores lack, and the thing that often drives potential customers back to physical storefronts. But no matter the channel, high-quality service is key. Attend to your customers, and you’ve won their loyalty. Leave them lost in an online world of categories, text, and ambiguous sizing charts, and they may just ditch the deals for some personalized in-store shopping.
Provide visitors with a seamless online shopping experience with excellent customer service This creates the incentive for customers to visit your eCommerce store again. Whether online or offline, get good at customer service.
Capitalize on the Social Experience
Shopping is a social experience, and a favorite pastime for youth and adults alike, according to a Nielsen report. Reach your social shoppers by providing options for in-store and online experiences. By offering a 24/7 shopping experience, you can encourage your online customers to plan and personalize purchases before ever stepping foot into your physical store. If you’re looking to give your brick-and-mortar an upgrade, consider looking to concept stores like Apple, which blend the physical with the digital world.
And remember, when it’s all said and done, a few things will cause both the eCommerce store and physical store to fail: poor customer service, lack of innovation, decreased productivity, and failure to improve concepts and products.
If you’re entertaining the idea of growing your brick-and-mortar or your eCommerce store by expanding into another channel, StorePorter can help you create a seamless user experiences. StorePorter helps businesses sync their inventory and set product thresholds between physical and online stores so that their efforts support one another and build a stronger whole. With StorePorter’s innovative software, it’s easier than ever to expand your online store into the physical world, connect your POS system with your webstore, and ensure that the entire shopping experience is smooth sailing. Schedule a free demo to check out how we can help grow your business in just a few clicks.
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