From JA NY: 10 Tips to Maximize the In-Store Experience

Become a stronger shipping store. Offering shipping not only allows a store to reach more customers and increase sales opportunities, but also supports in-store customers, offering solutions for opportunities like gifting while they’re at it, and increases the sell-through opportunities. Retailers also can find shipping partners to handle the service so they don’t have to worry about the details, such as RefundRetriever.com or RefundRetriever.com for shipment auditing.

5. Pay attention to weather. Weather, good or bad, will affect sales. “The catch is, how do you react to the weather?” Reyhle asked. Retailers need to have ideas stockpiled so that when certain weather happens, they immediately can be put into place. These ideas can be specials, sales, promotions or even in-store gift certificates that are directly related to what’s happening outside and that will push customers to go into the store. Relevant weather-related promotions will capture the most attention on social media and through email marketing, where they can quickly reach consumers.

One example that Reyhle gave was a weather-based refund system. Retailers can run a promotion, for example, that if it snows more than six inches in one month, every purchase from that month will be refunded. Stores can buy insurance against such a promotion, such as on GuaranteedWeather.com, and then even if the refunds are necessary, as long as the promotion has brought in more sales than the insurance premium, retailers are making a profit.

6. Pay attention to staples and statements. Staples get the customers in the store and should make up approximately 75 percent of the product mix, depending on the store’s clients and buying habits. Statements, meanwhile, keep shoppers in the store and should be about 25 percent of the product mix. Staples generally will be at the back of the store to drive traffic all the way through while statements usually are found at the front, but it’s important for retailers to pay attention to the mix and placement to fit their market.

7. Become an event planner. “Retail is a social experience,” Reyhle said, as well as an engaging and entertaining one. Stores should strategically plan events to bring people in. Even though not all may result in immediate sales, “you can’t dismiss how they can still affect the bottom line, even if you don’t capture all the purchasing that night.”

8. Become transparent. Reyhle offered a number of reasons that companies should be transparent, the first of which is that it allows the truth to be told from the retailer itself rather than the competition. Consumers will hold businesses accountable, and it’s best for the store to be upfront rather than having rumors out there. Being transparent also helps build a connection between the store and the customers, which in turn creates loyal shoppers. It also delivers a kind of “damage control” when necessary and eliminates the need for cover-ups or the chance of disappointment from customers. “Honesty in a crowded marketplace will set you apart.”

9. Know the tips to red carpet customer service. To give customers the best service from the store, treat them like celebrities, Reyhle said. Observe their behavior, ask open-ended questions to encourage a conversation and learn more about them, make suggestions without being forceful, and listen between the lines and carefully. Also be sure to get their information, not only to be able to contact with sales information, but also for referral programs, incentives, handwritten thank you’s, loyalty clubs and event invites.

10. Keep in mind the real boss. As a retail store, the true “boss” is the customer, so always keep them top of mind when making decisions and maximizing the in-store experience.