by Lina Martinez

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On the face of it, physical stores look as if they are in the minority. However, dig deeper and you’ll find the perception is misleading. In 2016, less than 10% of sales in North America were online. Give or take, that means bricks and mortar stores still have a massive majority. Even though the figure is bound to have risen in the last two years, it hasn’t touched the 40% mark yet.

High street chains and stores have the power yet they are losing their grip and quickly. The key is to cement your success, and these are the options at the company’s disposal.

Can’t Beat Them? Join Them

The biggest mistake you can make is to assume it’s a straight battle. These are the dividing lines and this is your turf. Well, it’s not as simple because stores are allowed to develop a website and create a digital presence. Indeed, it’s essential if the company is going to fight back against the eCommerce giants. Firstly, it takes away from their market share even if you only convert a small percentage of consumers. Secondly, one can offset the other. Don’t you have stock in a particular shop? No problem because the online “click and collect” option will deliver it to the store.

Find Solutions For Their Flaws

Online retailers are by no means perfect. Yes, they might offer a superior version of the experience in the customers’ eye, yet shoppers still have gripes. Think about returning items that aren’t too scale or didn’t look like the digital image. By providing consumers with a solution for your rivals’ mistakes, you can absorb their base. Https://bonobos.com has done this by creating a store where shoppers try things on and then have the items delivered to their home. As delivery times decline, this method will gain a footing in the market.

Create The Ultimate Experience

As well as replicating online features and adding to them, it’s vital to offer a unique experience. That way, they’ll have to come into the store to feel the full brunt of the customer service. Www.aromatechsystems.com recommends doing this by using scent marketing. With certain smells, the aroma in the store will make them feel warm and happy, and those emotions will stick in their mind. There’ll be a subconscious urge to visit the shop. For you, the positive memories make them likely to make a purchase when otherwise they wouldn’t.

Upsell

Thanks to the “click and collect” or “deliver to store” option on your website, the customer is now in front of you. Don’t let this opportunity pass you by; strike while the iron is hot. Upselling is the art of promoting products to increase sales, but it can be crudely done. To start with, let the layout of the store do the talking with attention-grabbing visual merchandising techniques. Then, promote items that relate to their order. Have they bought a coat? In that case, a scarf and gloves combo will go perfectly.

You might be the underdog but you can still bite back to show there is some fight in the old dog yet