4 Tips for Creating a Great In-Store Experience for Customers

Online shopping is becoming the preferred choice for many people; it’s easy and convenient, which is why brick-and-mortar stores have to work harder than ever to compete. If you run a store and want people to keep coming back, you need to offer a great in-store experience and other incentives that customers don’t get online. So, how do you bring your store experience to the next level?

1. Hire amazing staff

One advantage to shopping in-store rather than online is that there are always staff who can help you. Sure, online shopping has live chat, but it just doesn’t compare to the retail experience. It’s important that you train your retail staff to a high standard, including focusing on the following:

• Product knowledge—your staff should know how the products that you sell work, and all about the latest products or fashions
• Challenging situations—staff should know how to deal with difficult customers and when to ask for help
• Company policies—from refunds to damaged merchandise, your team should be able to deal with issues quickly, without always having to refer back to the manager
• Upselling—while high-pressure sales tactics rarely work, staff should be trained to upsell, for example, recommending accessories that go with outfits in order to increase customer spends

2. Create a pleasant environment

Nobody wants to shop in a store that’s dirty, crowded, or where the products are hard to find. Your store’s layout is important; helping to bring more people into the store and also creating a flow, therefore, you can get people to walk around and see as many products as possible. It’s worth investing in a store designer to make the most out of your space, as they will be able to create a layout based on customers’ behaviors in order to maximize sales.

3. Host in-store demonstrations

One advantage of shopping in-store rather than shopping online is the ability to feel, smell, or taste products before you buy them. This is part of the shopping experience and makes visiting a store much more fun. Make sure you have products on display that people can try. If you’re selling perfume, have testers available; if it’s toys, have a few unboxed so that kids can see them. This means people get a multi-sensory experience and will enjoy coming into your store.

4. Draw people towards in-store offers

Another advantage of in-store shopping is that you can often stumble across special offers that you might not find online. It’s worth creating displays with point of purchase signs that draw people towards special offers, exclusive in-store products, or whatever you want to draw attention to. Customers will want to leave your store feeling like they got a great deal, so it’s worth rewarding them for their loyalty.

A great in-store experience can give a positive impression of your brand and keep customers returning. If you want to compete with online stores, create a store environment that’s relaxed and interactive, so customers remember why they love off-line shopping so much.