Consumer retail experience is vital to keep in mind as retail habits are developing and changing. With an increasing amount of technology and access to technology, there is a significant change in what customers expect from retailers. Despite dynamic online shopping developments, the National Retail Federation ensure that 91 percent of consumers would still prefer to shop in-store as opposed to online. Here are some of the ways to stay on top of consumer trends.
Shopping is about creating a personal experience. Retailers are encouraged to understand their consumers and cater to them individually. Driving purchases towards customer trends and encouraging them with promotional programming are ways of keeping the shopping experience individualistic. An emotional trigger often drives consumer purchases, and successful retailers can monitor these, and stay up-to-date with ever-changing preference and demands. The bricks-and-mortar retailer can still provide a much more close and personal experience as opposed to its online counterpart.
Shoppers still desire a seamless shopping experience—even expecting a perfect transition from online to physical stores. Use of applications to assist in the physical shopping process, the ability to quickly locate extra information, and convenience are all things that consumers want increasing amounts of. Schemes that allow customers to save time, money, or hassle, are all ways in which modern retailers need to keep expanding upon. Technology is a massive part in this, but it shouldn’t stop smaller, retailers from creating a personal experience. Ensuring that the physical premises are clean, inviting, and homely are the sorts of things that people will look for—or keep coming back for—as opposed to shopping online.
The final thing in which retailers must look towards is loyalty. This is imperative in order to grow stores, both online and physical locations. For a retailer to promote loyalty, they must understand their customers. To do this requires market research and consumer behaviour analytics. Picking up on trends, and catering to the majority demographic of shoppers is vital for companies to gain repeat customers.
Retailers that can stay on top of consumer behaviour, create personalised shopping experiences, and have seamless shopping experiences across all mediums, have the greatest chance of expanding with loyal, and satisfied customers in 2019.
