You hear a lot about the online shopping world these days. In fact, you hear so much about it that many people think that we’re all buying our products online, rather than in a real-world store. But that’s not the case. In fact, the opposite is true. Real-world stores still dominate the commerce market, accounting for some 80% of all retail sales. And it’s likely to stay that way. Though people are more comfortable buying online than ever before, they still prefer buying in the real world.
And that’s good news if you run a brick-and-mortar store. However, that doesn’t mean that you’ll automatically get business. For that to happen, you’ll need to give the people what they want. So what do they want? We’ll take a look at some essential ingredients all real-world stores need to have.
Easy access
People won’t visit your store if it’s a challenge to access. After all, unless you’re selling something truly specialist, they’ll have plenty of other options available to them. So first and foremost, make sure that people can easily access your business. This will involve making sure it’s well-signposted if it’s in a crowded area and making parking available.
Attractive storefront
First impressions count for a lot in the commerce world. In fact, they count a lot in all aspects of life. As such, it’s important that people are receiving the right message when they first view your store. If they see a rundown, dark and dingy place, then it’s unlikely that they’ll be motivated to step inside. On the other hand, if you have a great store front, then they’ll be more inclined to walk through your front door. If this is an aspect of your business that could do with some improvement, get in touch with a company like Sykes London Shop Fronts, who offer bespoke shop front design and fitting services. In addition, don’t forget the cleanliness of the outside area, too. A morning sweep will help to make the space even more presentable.
Helpful staff
Your customers will sometimes know exactly what they’re looking for. But at other times, they’ll need a little bit of help. There’s nothing more frustrating than requiring a helping hand, only to find that there’s no one available to help. Having plenty of staff available will ensure that your customers can find what they need. Of course, it’s not enough to just have employees available — they should also be well-trained, so they can be genuinely helpful.
Smooth transactions
Finally, take another look at your checkout process. Some businesses make this more complicated than it needs to be, which can result in lost customers. If you’ve got a customer on the hook, then you won’t want to lose them at the last minute! So what makes for a smooth transaction process? First is ensuring that queues never get that long. You’ll also want to offer a variety of payment options, which will allow your customers to pay via their preferred method, be it cash, card, or mobile payment.
