As consumers increasingly go online to browse for and purchase products, it may seem that retailers no longer need to put a lot of attention on the experiences they offer at their brick-and-mortar locations. However, this is certainly not true, as a majority of shoppers still believe that their visits to stores are important, and they are not looking to replace these experiences with technology such as social media and mobile. Of course, these platforms and devices will play a big role in retail operations in the coming years, but focus does not need to be taken off of in-store engagement. In fact, research has found that merchants can use technology to enhance the experiences they provide for their customers in their storefronts.

Decline of retail stores is a myth
A recent report by PricewaterhouseCoopers pinpointed some of the myths that are plaguing the retail industry today, one of which is that retail stores are declining as consumers begin preferring technology to buy merchandise and interact with brands. The study revealed that this belief is false, as 45 percent of customers still visit retail brick-and-mortar locations daily or weekly. Social media is seen as the biggest threat to physical storefronts, but the research discovered that while 49 percent of respondents use the platforms to look up items and find information about brands, only 12 percent actually do any shopping through the sites.

“While many forecasts point toward devices and social media dominating in retail, companies today need to utilize their multiple channels to engage with consumers and use social media as a marketing and communication tool to create value,” said Susan McPartlin , PwC’s U.S. retail and consumer sector leader. “Our report finds that the physical store remains the centerpiece of the purchase journey, while devices are used significantly for product research and deals.”

Other technology draws in customers to stores
Social media platforms are not the only technological tools that retailers can use to attract customers to their stores. The National Retail Federation (NRF) states that elements such as interactive displays and free WiFi internet can entice consumers to visit. Also, using mobile devices to train employees on how to utilize the gadgets to help shoppers on the sales floor boosts efficiency and provides faster transactions through mobile POS software.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Monday, February 11th, 2013 at 4:01 am .

Retailers are used to the many changes and trends that have impacted their operations over the years. The latest technology set to significantly alter the industry is mobile, as consumers are increasingly using the devices to search for, compare and purchase products.

The Drum reports that smartphones and tablets have already changed many aspects merchants deal with on a daily basis, such as marketing, sales and customer satisfaction, but businesses need to be ready for more impacts in the near future. Shoppers are becoming more comfortable with the idea of making larger purchases on their devices, meaning that companies can market bigger items to consumers through the channel. In addition, the source notes that more interactive retail experiences can be delivered through mobile, such as the use of location-based services, image recognition and other technological solutions.

Retailers need to start paying attention to mobile solutions for their operations, as supply chain firm Manhattan Associates predicts it will not be going anywhere anytime soon. To best suit the needs and wants of device-carrying shoppers, the source suggests that merchants optimize their websites for viewing on smartphones and tablets, as well as offer mobile POS systems for consumers.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Friday, February 8th, 2013 at 5:26 am .

Retailers in the United Kingdom are experiencing an influx of sales made from mobile devices, as consumers are using the technology to browse for and buy products from their preferred brands. Merchants will need to implement solutions to accommodate these customers or risk losing out on valuable businesses, industry experts say.

Boxing Day 2012 was an exceptionally high day in terms of retail sales from mobile devices, according to research from Usablenet. Purchases made from smartphones and tablets were 38 percent higher on the day after Christmas than they were on Cyber Monday, the source states.

“Data from Boxing Day and other key shopping days such as Cyber Monday has demonstrated that consumers are fundamentally changing the way they shop,” said Usablenet marketing chief Carin van Vuuren. “Mobile is now a fully-fledged channel and the best mix of multichannel combines it with in-store platforms.”

Gulf News writes that if merchants fail to adopt mobile technology to accommodate device-carrying shoppers, they could see sharp decreases in satisfaction, revenues and retention. The source notes that some brands could even be forced to close their doors if mobile is not implemented.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Thursday, February 7th, 2013 at 11:03 am .

Consumers are increasingly using mobile devices such as smartphones, tablets and other gadgets to perform a variety of daily operations. This trend is making its way to retail, as shoppers are taking out their devices to browse for and purchase items, both in brick-and-mortar locations and on merchants’ websites. While some companies have implemented solutions that accommodate device-carrying customers, a significant number have not, and if they fail to do so in the near future, they would risk losing out on business. There are several systems that can be adopted to give shoppers more mobile options, such as mobile POS software and applications. Whatever the approach retailers decide to take, they do not need to ignore the growing importance of the technology, which is set to increase over the coming years within the industry.

Mobile needs to be fused with store operations
At the beginning, mobile purchases were mainly made outside of retail brick-and-mortar locations, as merchants did not have the solutions available to provide in-store customers with mobile options. However, that is expected to change, as the technology can now be used to draw shoppers into storefronts, according to UTalkMarketing. Citing its own research, the source reports that approximately 26 percent of smartphone owners and 35 percent of tablet owners browse for merchandise on their devices before going into stores to make purchases. In addition, 70 percent of respondents would like the option of being able to reserve items through their gadgets and then go pick up them up in retail brick-and-mortar locations.  

So what do these findings mean for merchants? The results point out the growing importance of mobile devices within the retail realm, and the research can help businesses see how consumers are beginning to prefer to bridge the gap between mobile commerce and in-store visits, the source writes. To accommodate these shoppers and attract them to storefronts, companies can adopt solutions, such as mobile POS systems and applications, that encourage the use of the technology at brick-and-mortar locations.

Overall mobile retail sales set to increase
Whether they want to boost in-store mobile use or remote purchases, retailers need to know how much the technology will impact their operations – and bottom lines – in the coming years. Forbes reports that a study by Forrester Research revealed that mobile retail sales within the United States are expected to reach $31 billion by 2017. This trend is forecasted to grow globally as well, the source notes.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Thursday, February 7th, 2013 at 5:49 am .

Sales numbers continue to climb for the nation’s small and midsize retailers, and December’s figures show steady improvement as consumers become confident once again following the economic recession.

Internet Retailer reports that according to recent research by Dydacomp, overall sales totals for small and midsize merchants reached an 8 percent year-over-year increase in December. This growth was fueled by holiday sales, although they did not surpass November’s year-over-year boost of 12.31 percent. Consumers hit retail stores and websites to stock up on gifts earlier last year, as they became more confident in their financial conditions and wanted to grab merchandise before it was too late.

“The consumer attitude coming into the holiday season included an expectation based on the last couple of years, that there might not be a lot of inventory,” said Fred Lizza, Dydacomp’s CEO. “They learned that if you want something, don’t wait to buy it.”

Several sectors saw more year-over-year growth than others, and these include booksellers, sporting goods,  toys and food and health products, the source reports.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Wednesday, February 6th, 2013 at 9:01 am .

When operating brick-and-mortar locations and ecommerce websites, retailers know that providing shoppers with only the products they are looking for is not enough to sustain valuable relationships with consumers and keep them coming back. Merchants must also offer excellent experiences in their stores and on their sites or risk losing out on opportunities to build loyalty among patrons. Fortunately, there are many strategies that businesses can use to ensure customers are having satisfactory interactions and are able to find the items they want quickly and efficiently. But companies need to focus on implementing these methods and work diligently to improve upon their practices to consistently meet consumers’ expectations and fit their needs.

Consequences of poor retail customer experiences
Recent research has revealed that while companies know the importance of offering great customer experiences and how it can benefit their operations, a significant number fail to incorporate strategies that can ensure positive and satisfactory interactions. According to the “Global Insights on Succeeding in the Customer Experience Era” by Oracle, 97 percent of businesses surveyed stated they believe that providing excellent experiences is vital to their success. Respondents estimate that companies can lose up to 20 percent of their annual revenue by not meeting shoppers’ needs when they are in stores and on websites.

The majority of retailers (93 percent) said they will be working on improving their customer experience strategies in the coming months, but a significant number (37 percent) are just beginning to develop experience methods to fit their patrons’ expectations. In addition, only 20 percent of respondents believe their experience strategies are advanced.

“This report demonstrates that organizations around the globe and across many industries are beginning to understand the real business impact of not offering great customer experiences, but are facing execution challenges,” stated Oracle group vice president David Vap. “We recommend that organizations map their customers’ journeys to identify specific improvement areas that will help them cross the execution chasm.”

Successful experience initiatives
To begin offering exceptional shopping experiences or improve upon existing methods, Inside Retailing recommends that merchants learn as much as they can about their customers, which can be accomplished through gathering data from individuals in stores and online through surveys and other forms of feedback.

In addition, the source suggests using information to make experiences more personalized will help shoppers feel valued and appreciated by brands, further increasing the chances they will keep coming back for future business.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Wednesday, February 6th, 2013 at 6:34 am .

Retailers have taken notice of mobile technology by developing apps and providing mobile options for their customers both at brick-and-mortar locations and online. One element that is steadily gaining traction among businesses is mobile payments, as merchants look to accommodate device-carrying consumers and make transactions more streamlined for both themselves and shoppers.

Mobile Payments Today reports that research from Shop.org found that businesses are planning to put more focus not only on accepting payments from mobile devices, but other aspects as well, including mobile site optimization, analytics and page enhancements. More than half of retailers (51 percent) stated they will be working on improving optimization, such as checkout and payment transactions, to make purchases from mobile devices more streamlined for shoppers.

Many merchants around the country are already accepting mobile payments, and they are seeing success through the technology. The Sioux Falls Business Journal highlights several businesses in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, that have been using the method, and these merchants say they like being able to accept mobile payments. It has helped to increase customer satisfaction and even boosted their financial recording processes as the technology keeps track of sales numbers.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Wednesday, February 6th, 2013 at 4:05 am .

When it comes to retail marketing, businesses know that generating awareness about their products through print, online and radio advertisements is one of the best ways to attract consumers. With the increasing use of the internet within the retail industry, many companies are turning to the web to reach out to target customers and showcase their items. Brands are developing content and graphics that are aimed at creating interest and promoting their products and services through banner ads, email and other forms of online marketing. However, sending customers too much marketing content and overloading them with messages can actually result in high levels of consumer resentment toward brands.

Negative customer sentiments come from too many emails
According to recent research from Emailvision, 75 percent of consumers surveyed stated they would begin to resent a brand after being sent too many email messages. Seventy-one percent said that unsolicited content from businesses was one reason for becoming resentful. When sending out email marketing components, merchants may want to pay attention to the details, as half of the respondents said that getting their name incorrect would be an important factor in developing negative sentiments toward companies they used to prefer. Forty percent said retailers not knowing their gender would result in resentment.

"With an abundance of choice, consumers are more demanding and they expect brands to engage them correctly. If someone is not providing them with the right offers, value and relationship … they will quickly switch to another brand," said Tim Watson, an email marketing consultant at Zettasphere, in the Emailvision report. "The key to success for marketers is not in the content; it's in the intelligence and actionable information that comes from customer data."

Making effective use of customer data for marketing
When using the customer data at their fingertips for marketing purposes, how can retailers ensure they are reaching their target audiences and spurring greater retention? In the National Retail Federation blog, Allison Kroger writes that keeping focus on local areas around brick-and-mortar stores can help with these goals. Instead of creating generic discounts and offers to be implemented at all locations, merchants can provide special deals for regional shoppers. In addition, constantly surprising consumers with targeted email messages that contain relevant information and perks will keep them coming back.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Tuesday, February 5th, 2013 at 12:15 pm .

At retail brick-and-mortar locations, sales associates and managers have the chance to approach customers and see if they need help with their purchases. This helps to give shopping at physical storefronts a more personalized touch, as consumers feel more valued and appreciated. However, when merchants also operate ecommerce websites, they are not able to offer this kind of service. Fortunately, there are certain components that internet retailers can use to ensure effective service is provided, such as live web chat and click-to-call options. Failing to include these aspects can cost businesses significant amounts of revenue as well as decreases in customer retention and loyalty.

Consumers expect efficient online service
According to a recently released study by LivePerson, 83 percent of consumers surveyed stated they need support options when they are shopping online. Among the most popular forms of online service are live chat, with 57 percent of respondents preferring this offering, click-to-call at 34 percent and video chat with 7 percent.

In addition, the research revealed there are three key factors that shoppers are looking for online. Being able to have their issues resolved quickly was the main component with 82 percent of responses, while 56 percent said resolving service problems with one interaction was most important. Having friendly and engaging conversations garnered 45 percent, the study found.

“With consumers becoming more adept and familiar with digital channels, they have come to expect the same levels of help and customer service as they would in a physical store,” stated Jeremy Sokolic, senior vice president of marketing for LivePerson “To drive conversions and really impact customer loyalty, online businesses need to be able to derive insights from consumer behavior, identify the type and level of engagement that consumers require, and respond accordingly.”

Improvement also requires customer-centricity
Besides offering online service options such as the ones listed above, Ecommerce Bytes writes that internet retailers must also put more focus on customers and incorporate their feedback frequently into websites. In addition, the source recommends that developing easy-to-use processes for internet shoppers helps streamline the browsing and purchasing transactions. Having too many confusing elements can lead to consumers turning to other sites to find the products they want. The source writes that providing the most effective service through the internet will require hard work, and web retailers need to be willing to put in the effort to see the best results.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Tuesday, February 5th, 2013 at 9:42 am .

At retail brick-and-mortar locations, sales associates and managers have the chance to approach customers and see if they need help with their purchases. This helps to give shopping at physical storefronts a more personalized touch, as consumers feel more valued and appreciated. However, when merchants also operate ecommerce websites, they are not able to offer this kind of service. Fortunately, there are certain components that internet retailers can use to ensure effective service is provided, such as live web chat and click-to-call options. Failing to include these aspects can cost businesses significant amounts of revenue as well as decreases in customer retention and loyalty.

Consumers expect efficient online service
According to a recently released study by LivePerson, 83 percent of consumers surveyed stated they need support options when they are shopping online. Among the most popular forms of online service are live chat, with 57 percent of respondents preferring this offering, click-to-call at 34 percent and video chat with 7 percent.

In addition, the research revealed there are three key factors that shoppers are looking for online. Being able to have their issues resolved quickly was the main component with 82 percent of responses, while 56 percent said resolving service problems with one interaction was most important. Having friendly and engaging conversations garnered 45 percent, the study found.

“With consumers becoming more adept and familiar with digital channels, they have come to expect the same levels of help and customer service as they would in a physical store,” stated Jeremy Sokolic, senior vice president of marketing for LivePerson “To drive conversions and really impact customer loyalty, online businesses need to be able to derive insights from consumer behavior, identify the type and level of engagement that consumers require, and respond accordingly.”

Improvement also requires customer-centricity
Besides offering online service options such as the ones listed above, Ecommerce Bytes writes that internet retailers must also put more focus on customers and incorporate their feedback frequently into websites. In addition, the source recommends that developing easy-to-use processes for internet shoppers helps streamline the browsing and purchasing transactions. Having too many confusing elements can lead to consumers turning to other sites to find the products they want. The source writes that providing the most effective service through the internet will require hard work, and web retailers need to be willing to put in the effort to see the best results.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Tuesday, February 5th, 2013 at 9:42 am .