Brick and mortar businesses are having a tough time adjusting to the constant challenges of a post-pandemic society. The good news: people are excited at the idea of going to a physical shop. The pandemic has seen many retail brands permanently close their doors. As a result, British shoppers feel somehow obligated to support existing brands. M&Co axed many stores in an attempt to revive the brand. Debenhams stores permanently shut down in May 2021. Arcadia’s retail stores, such as Topshop, Miss Selfridge, and Topman, were not rescued when ASOS purchased the brand. The list of closures is long and keeps growing. As a result, shoppers are trying to visit their favourite shops more often. However, visitors do not grow sales revenues. So why are people visiting your shops but failing to buy?
By Team Savant
Image: LOGAN WEAVER
Make Your Layout Intuitive
It’s fair to say that COVID-safe layouts can be unappealing. However, they are necessary to contain risks, especially as shoppers don’t need to wear masks anymore. Unfortunately, layout transformations can make it tough for your customers to find the products they need. But, you can introduce new guiding elements to bring them safely to the right destination. Adding signage and a map of the shop can help visitors navigate the new aisle arrangement. Additionally, you can make some items stand out with POS display products. Most visitors are unlikely to ask for help. If they can’t find what they need, they will likely buy less than intended or exit the shop. A visible point-of-sale kit just before the exit can encourage more purchases.
Stop Helping People Who Don’t Want To Be Helped
Shop assistants play an important role in helping and welcoming visitors. However, not everyone appreciates their help. More and more shoppers find shop assistants’ presence too intrusive. This can happen for a variety of reasons. Sometimes, people just want to browse in peace. Additionally, ineffective communication can mean that the same shopper feels they are constantly fending off assistants as they wander through the store. This is a major turn off. But we can learn a valuable lesson from a European beauty shop, Sephora, which uses colour-coded shopping baskets to keep assistants at bay. Black baskets indicate the shopper’s wish to be left alone.
Expand Digitally
Maintaining a strong online presence might seem counterproductive for physical stores. But in reality, your online presence can encourage more visitors to come to your shop. An informative website can let your visitors know more about your stock and products. You can also use social media to share behind-the-scenes photos and promote future releases. Small shops attract visitors by running in-store discount offers, publishing them as part of their blog content and social media communication. When it comes to running an online shop, you also need to consider logistic applications, such as keeping shipping costs and processes smooth for your customers. While everybody prefers to click to buy, customers tend to avoid brands that fail to keep delivery time and costs low.
The British public remains attached to brick and mortar shops. However, they expect their favourite brands to grow and adjust to the current needs of the market. Therefore, retailers need to prioritise behavioural strategies for effective people-focused communication, both inside and outside the store.