Today, eCommerce has taken over the shopping experience and most retailers have an online presence. It may seem like the brick-and-mortar stores are becoming obsolete but that’s not true. Brick-and-mortar stores add a lot to the total number of sales made every year.
While shopping online is convenient, brick-and-mortar stores offer a whole new experience. However, the expectations of customers have now changed, and they expect much more than just a store where they can buy things.
Strategies to future-proof brick-and-mortar stores
Here are five strategies to help you future-proof your brick-and-mortar business.
Technology as a tool
eCommerce is booming because customers are incredibly comfortable with digital technology. To future-proof brick-and-mortar stores, retailers need to incorporate digital elements into physical shopping.
It could include placing kiosks with digital screens, sending notifications about offers and coupons to customers on their smartphones and more. AR and VR technology can also help enhance the digital experience for customers at brick-and-mortar stores.
Personalized shopping
Connecting with customers on a personal level is essential for any business to grow. Offering personalized shopping experiences helps customers relate to your store and thereby increase sales. You can offer personalized shopping experiences or tailored shopping experiences to connect with customers at the store.
In-store experiences
Brick-and-mortar stores are not just places that store inventory anymore. They’re much more than that and should offer great shopping experiences for customers. Many customers visit stores not just to buy things but because they enjoy the experience offered in the store.
They expect stores to offer unique and engaging experiences beyond the traditional shopping experience. Many stores host competitions or workshops or open pop-up shops to engage customers and enhance their shopping experience. The more engaging your in-store atmosphere is, the more memorable your brand will become.
Greater accessibility
Being a brick-and-mortar store doesn’t mean you have to be completely offline. Having an online presence is essential for any business to truly thrive in today’s competitive market. Multi-channel presence is important for any business to market itself and increase sales.
Create your identity on all channels that your customers may be on and set up an online shop as well. This will help you increase sales online and offline as you can cater to both customers who prefer to buy online and customers who like to visit brick-and-mortar stores.
Focus on sales staff
Nothing says personalized experience than another human helping you shop. Customers expect exceptional customer service when they enter a store. Focusing on your sales staff and training them to provide a great customer experience goes a long way. Your customers may even come back to shop with you just because they like your staff and enjoy the experience.
Summing Up
Brick-and-mortar stores are not going to become irrelevant anytime soon. But to thrive in the long run, they need to evolve with the customer’s expectations and needs.