How to digitize the in-store shopping experience to attract more customers

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Use technology to transform your store to make the shopping experience faster, more convenient and more personalized.

The widespread use of connectivity, the massive use of smartphones, apps, and social media, and online innovation are changing the way we buy everything from cars to cosmetics. However, once we've done our online research, read reviews, and compared prices, we still prefer to shop in physical stores. 90% of all retail sales still take place in physical stores.

It's not just a question of sales, as there has been a shift in overseas chinese in canada data consumer expectations : this is because people have become accustomed to personalised, fast and convenient online shopping. However, few physical stores are able to meet these high expectations, and offer an experience that matches the one people get in e-commerce.

What can retailers do to attract customers to their physical stores?
Flexibility, adaptation to customer needs and customization
The first step towards unified commerce is to offer your customers quality services that adapt to their demands, for example: “Click & Collect” . This is a service that allows you to check the availability of products from the online store and go to collect the order at the selected store. “Click & Collect” should not be confused with simply using the physical store as a logistics point, but as a sales strategy, together with “Cross Selling” and “Up Selling” ; taking advantage of the customer’s presence in the store, to offer them additional purchases while they collect their order.

Likewise, thanks to Artificial Intelligence (AI), it is possible to implement a machine learning system in the store's POS, which uses historical purchase data to make product recommendations; or in-store ordering kiosks : customers can scan the label of an item, choose the size or color they want, including their preference for home or store delivery .

Digital touchpoints at every stage of the store visit
Retailers can choose from a wealth of technologies designed to make the shopping process easier for customers. These technologies will need to recreate in real life all the loyalty , personalization , wealth of information and choice that consumers enjoy online. In this way, retailers will be able to:

Attract customers with a great first impression using digital signage , create the right atmosphere with music, and recognize and welcome shoppers individually

Capture customers' attention while they shop with personalized offers , interactive displays and smart labels with a wealth of product information

Provide personalized service from employees , through easy access to information about products and customers

Close the sale quickly using mobile POS or self-service payment .

Knowledge of the product, stocks and employees
Studies suggest that 85% of customers make more purchases when they receive assistance from a knowledgeable associate . The digital component frees up employees from checkouts and stockrooms so they can personally serve customers , providing them with all the information and tools they need in the store. Equipped with handheld devices , associates can instantly access product information and availability , pricing and special offers, social media reviews , or customer data as needed.

On the other hand, thanks to BLE beacons, NFC, RFID, QR codes and other innovations, employees can identify and track the products available in the store, their quantities and locations; giving them a more accurate idea of ​​what they need to replenish or reorder with greater certainty. In addition, this technology allows for planning discounts, setting prices and more applications, to generate new opportunities based on the immediate availability of stocks .

Digital content, communication, digital social media and mobile devices
Listening and responding to consumers through their preferred medium, being present with them where they are, in the way they prefer to communicate.