Consumers have the ability to order just about anything online now-a-days, but e-shopping isn’t without its downsides. The need to plan ahead, the wait time between order and arrival, the disappointment of receiving clothes that don’t fit, the hassle of returning items… For these reasons and more, many experts believe brick-and-mortar will always have a place in our lives.
Erika Morphy of GlobeSt.com cited a recent A.T. Kearney Omnichannel Shopping Preferences Study which found that some 90% of retail sales were purchased through physical stores last year. She concluded that while e-commerce sales are growing every year, that growth is still marginal compared to the bulk of purchases made in actual stores. The same A.T. Kearney study found 40 percent of shoppers spent more than they had planned while shopping in brick-and-mortar stores as opposed to just 25 percent spending more than expected when shopping online.
Optimizing in-store conversions.
Capturing those “more than expected” purchases is key for brick and mortar. And perhaps nowhere is the opportunity greater than at the last stages of the shopping experience -- the waiting line. It’s the e-commerce equivalent of the checkout process, where average abandonment rates hover around 68%. This is the place where brick-and-mortar should focus its attention. Here are 3 of our top tips to cut reneging and boost in-store conversions include:
1. Merchandise the Waiting Line Well:
In-queue merchandising provides the opportunity to turn otherwise idle space into a profit center for retailers, while also boosting customer satisfaction by reducing perceived wait times. Keeping people ‘occupied’ with great deals and great merchandise while they wait for the next available cashier is a win-win for retailers and shoppers.
2. Go Electronic:
Electronic queuing can increase service productivity by as much as 35% while keeping customers busy with electronic media, helping to reduce perceived wait times as well. The true win-win is a queue that not only feels like it’s moving faster—but actually is moving faster.
3. Combine Signage with In-Queue Merchandising:
From simple price tag signs to full-color sign panels or video screens, queue merchandising systems can go beyond just merchandise display to delivering information, education, and entertainment. Signage in the queue helps to grab your customer’s attention from a distance or direct them to information at their fingertips. We would contend that the quickest way to negate the instant gratification of shopping at brick and mortar is to present a customer with an unorganized, poorly run waiting line. To help boost your in-store conversions with a better waiting line experience, we invite you to learn more about our top tips by downloading this guide: “10 Tips for Exceptional Waiting Lines.”
