Supercharging your in-store experience – tips for retailers

The popularity of online shopping has grown significantly since the beginning of the pandemic, with 71% saying they now shop online more often. But more than half of UK consumers still prefer in-store shopping! With restrictions fully lifted and retail’s busiest time of year just around the corner, there’s no better time to supercharge your in-store experience! Here are a few ideas for where you could focus your efforts…

Store layout

Every retail store is a different shape and size and each business has different goals and objectives. So the layout that works best for your business will vary greatly. Primarily you want a layout that will entice customers in and make it easy for them to navigate their way around your shop. Not forgetting the additional security and organisation benefits that can come with a good store layout.

If you want some more advice on the type of store layout that will work best for you, Shopify recently wrote a guide on the different types of store layout and their benefits.

Traffic light systems

The new kid on the block – traffic light systems for entering a store. Although this is not a requirement, it may be something you opt to introduce to help your customers feel safer when shopping in your store. With 56% of people wanting to keep social distancing when COVID restrictions were lifted in July, many of your customers may feel more comfortable shopping in a store with a maximum capacity. 

The right number of staff to meet demand 

Having the right number of staff on hand to meet demand is a key player in a customer’s shopping experience. Rapid service and access to a customer assistant can make a big difference to a shoppers in-store experience, especially at busy times. In fact, with Christmas approaching you may want to consider hiring some seasonal staff for that festive rush.

Rotaready’s demand forecasting can help you predict future demand so you can make sure you always have the right number of people working. 

Personal shoppers

For some of you this won’t be either relevant or feasible, but with the festive period just around the corner it might be one to consider. We’re the first to admit that we occasionally need a little advice on what to buy for our in-laws, or the relations we seldom see. If you find yourself having to give a lot of advice to lost shoppers, you may want to think about introducing a personal shopper or two to guide those customers that need a helping hand. 

The checkout experience

There’s no ‘one size fits all’ when it comes to the checkout experience. Your customer preferences will vary depending on the type of retail business you run. But it’s certainly an area worth investing some time in perfecting. Are your customers looking for the efficiency that comes with a self-service check out? Or a more personal touch that can only be provided by a cashier? Or perhaps a combination of the two is the answer? 

Stock control (EPOS)

A large part of a positive shopping experience is whether or not the product a customer is after is in stock. Be on the ball with your inventory management, so no customer is left disappointed. A good POS solution will make this a breeze, as you’ll be able to set up the likes of low-stock alerts and purchase ordering.

Rotaready integrates with a whole host of EPOS solutions, you can find a full list here. 

Utilise other channels

Whilst this piece is primarily about providing a good in-store experience, don’t forget about other channels that could further enhance your customers’ experience. With 87% of in-store shoppers looking for information online before shopping, a customer’s experience extends beyond your bricks and mortar store.

Utilise digital and email marketing to help promote your in-store offering and provide your customers with the information they’re looking for. If you also have an ecommerce store, ensure it’s streamlined with your bricks and mortar site.

Whichever channels you decide to use it’s important that they all ‘talk to one another’. Make sure your messaging and promotions are consistent and stock control is managed across the board.