While many people shop online, there is a lot to be said about a brick-and-mortar store. Sure, getting a package delivered to your home is great; you tear it open and try this one. But the in-store experience of a great store is hard to beat – especially if you do it correctly.
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What keeps customers coming back is that they get something that you don’t get from an online store – or a store that has the same items for sale as you do.
So what goes into creating a unique store experience that people want to come back for?
Shoppers
First, take a look at the demographics of the people that buy your products – what is it that they value? Look deeper than just the age group and where they live; look at their lifestyles, look at if they have children and their income. Also, pay attention to any other brands they might also buy from – and what their stores offer them.
Employees
Your employees should be enthusiastic about what they do – while a job is a job, they can still do it to the best of their ability. Happy staff will give a more positive experience. Invest in them in terms of training and access to technology that could make their jobs easier. They don’t need to replicate the Apple Genius, but having instant access to stock levels, sizes, bookings, and more is important.
Children
When you have children, but you need to go into a store, it can be an awful experience – unless you’re the type of store that offers something for children. It could be a screen playing movies or TV, or it might be a soft play area that has been fitted to meet safety standards.
The point is, if you occupy the children, the parents or carers can spend more time browsing in peace. Further, they will remember your store with fondness – because they had five minutes of peace.
Surroundings
Think about some of the stores that you go in, and they have a layout and design that meets their branding. Many have interesting and unique features, and you have the space to experiment and create that in the store for yourself.
Think about colours without blocking light – in this case, coloured perspex shapes and features will work perfectly. Plants are now typically found in many stores, too – because they give a natural mood lifter.
You can also consider scents to help the shopping process; for example, studies show that simple smells like chocolate and cardamom are warm and relax people, who are then likely to buy more.
What concepts work with what you sell and who you sell to?
Facilities
Have you ever been in a store and needed to go to the bathroom – but they didn’t have one? Or perhaps, you are thirsty, and the store is warm, so you leave. These are two small items that can make an even better shopping experience.
Offering a bathroom for customers and coffee or water when they are shopping is a great idea. Many high-end stores will offer champagne, cappuccino or almost any other drink while their customers browse. It makes the customer more relaxed.
And while this should be unique, there are a lot of businesses that don’t think about accessibility – don’t be like them; use these tips instead: Making Your Business More Accessible – Latte Lindsay.