The world of retail has expanded and continues to develop in the online atmosphere. But, the in-store shopping experience is still prevalent, and many prefer it.
Online shopping is convenient; items are shipped directly to your home with the click of a button. But, some consumers prefer to browse online, go in-store to see the product and try it on, and then decide whether or not to buy it. In-store experiences still matter, offering touchpoints for brands to engage with customers in a way that can’t be done online.
The thing is, businesses can expand these experiences even further. Embracing technology as part of the customer and employee experiences will allow your business to adapt to and engage with an ever-growing world while improving your store’s functionality overall.
Here are five customer pain points and tech-driven solutions for in-store shoppers and retail staff to improve customers’ in-store experiences.
1. Finding a Specific Product in Store
Customers don’t know the ins-and-outs of your stores the way your team leaders and employees do. They may miss the products that they came to buy. A GPS-enabled store app helps staff and store visitors locate items by their radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag. This technology transmits data from the tag to a reader, allowing staff members to keep real-time track of inventory and preventing customers from ever missing an item again. Finding items easily with or without an employee makes the entire shopping experience smoother for customers.
2. Operating Messy Floors
Unkempt displays are a major deterrent for customers. Although it can be a pain to constantly refold clothing and pick up items from the floor, it’s important to keep customers happy and engaged. That said, if a staff member isn’t in the area, how would they know to clean it up? Well, wearable tech can alert staff when a display is disorganized. A manager on duty constantly checking different areas of the store or AI-driven camera capture can alert appropriate staff, pushing notifications to staff members without disrupting customer interaction.
3. Locating a Staff Member on the Store Floor
Speaking of wearable tech, it can be valuable for locating staff members. Consider lighter-staffed days. A team member went into the storage room to retrieve an item for a customer. At the same time, someone is waiting at the register to check out. Wearable tech can alert employees when someone is at the register so they can help the customer check out promptly, improving the overall customer experience.
How did we know technology like this would work in a retail setting? We piloted the program at one store, harvested the data, and conducted a pre- and post-wave survey of customers and team members to measure success.
4. Understanding Final Price Transparency with Sales and Coupons
Have you ever walked up to a cash register with something you thought was on sale, but it turned out it wasn’t? It can be awkward telling the cashier that you no longer want the item. For some customers, using the store’s app to scan their items ahead of time is more valuable, showing the final total price, including sales and relevant coupons.
5. Approaching the Checkout Line
Waiting in a long line to checkout is not ideal for anyone. Shoppers who use an app to check the prices of their items would also use a virtual checkout option. Customers scan their items in their cart using the store app and checkout on their phone, with team member assistance still available.
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