HOW TO WIN BACK ONLINE SHOPPERS

It’s a scenario familiar to consumers and shop-owners alike. A customer browses your in-store selection of, say, TVs, before price-checking the Amazon app and ordering the same model online.

According to a recent survey conducted by SecureNet, as many as 72% of brick-and-mortar shoppers regularly use mobile devices to research products in-store.

So how can high street retailers tempt back shoppers from behind their computer screens?

• Use tech to bridge the gap
  It’s all about customer experience. We’re used to swiping and scrolling on touch-screen tech, so why not bring that digital experience in-store? Some shops are now building iPads and tablets into their units to allow customers to flick through look-books and order to store, while sales assistants can use them to demonstrate videos and product features.
• Make it easy to pick-up in store
  If your retail business already has an online arm, adding a free ‘Store Pickup’ option at checkout gives customers a real incentive to come into the shop, rather than paying for delivery. Nothing replaces the feeling of physically walking out with your new purchase, and enticing customers into store means they may be tempted by other deals.

• What do points make?
  Prizes! Or rather, rewards. Bricks-and-mortar shops can offer experiences which e-commerce will never match. Rewarding loyal shoppers can come in many guises, from a loyalty scheme offering discounts, freebies and benefits to more subtle service upgrades such as invites to VIP evening events with in-store talks, or a complementary personal shopping service when they join ‘the club’. 

Whichever direction you decide to take your retail business model in, there’s insurance out there to match. Get in touch with Howard Insurance Services to sort out all your Shop Insurance needs.