Synqera recently conducted a study that revealed that over two-thirds (23%) of Americans would rather be at brick-and-mortar shops compared to online shopping. Although there are many convenient options, brick-and-mortar shops remain highly valued by consumers. They just expect more from them than they did in the past.
These six tips will help you make your shop more welcoming and comfortable for today’s customers.
Table of Contents
Get free Wi-Fi
Customers in restaurants and cafes must have a free access to Wi-Fi so that they will be accommodated well. However, take note that all small businesses should have Wi-Fi. Customers have been shown to love shopping in-store more when they can use their smartphones and tablets. Customers are so dependent on their smartphones and tablets that they may not be able to shop in-store without Wi-Fi.
A Restroom That Is Clean And Comfortable
Most of the time, the most neglected area of a brick-and-mortar store is the restroom. This can have a significant impact on how customers view your business. For convenience, environmental efficiency, and cleanliness, you need to make sure that you spend time in renovating your restroom to make it cozier and more comfortable for everyone. Air dryers can be used in place of paper towels so that there will be a waste-free flushing system in the restroom. In addition to that, you should ensure that there are employees who would be responsible for keeping the restroom clean during the day.
Comfortable Seating
To make your customers stay comfortable, you might need to accept a few offers from business credit cards. To make it easy for your customers to rest, you can place small seating areas in the vicinity of fitting rooms, restrooms, and other corners of your store. Customers of all sizes will be accommodated by larger couches and chairs, so see to it that you opt for couches that fit all sizes.
Good Music
Business Insider reports that customers who listen to loud music are able to shop faster and still purchase the same number of products. On the other hand, low-tempo music urges customers not to rush whilst allowing them to purchase more. Classical music also leads to more spending than pop music, or no music at all. It can, however, turn off customers in certain settings as it has a tendency to present the store’s price as high.
Attentive Staff
All retail associates must do more than greeting the customers. The retail associates should be able to offer assistance and demonstrate the products’ usefulness. To encourage a sale, your staff must be positive, friendly, and ready to help the customer in any away possible so that the customer will feel comfortable and relaxed.
Creative thoughts
You can create a niche for your business to make it stand out from the rest. For instance, you could offer competitions in-store for the chance to win prizes or just have one store with all the custom gift boxes since there are plenty of customers today who are always looking for gifts that they could give to their loved ones. You can adjust lighting, music, and design to create a positive shopping experience that reflects your brand. With this, the customers will feel proud of your company’s values.
In Sum
While price-matching and discounts may increase your sales in the short-term, they will also lower your profits over the long-term. Customers will only leave with the products they purchased, and not more.
Hence, you need to make your customers feel special in order to increase sales and maintain profits. This will result in your product becoming a memento of the great experience, and customers will be more likely to return.
