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Although the world is
moving towards digitization and an e-commerce website may seem inevitable,
offline sales are still relevant. Find out why physical store locations are
useful to increase total sales and learn how to bridge the gap between your
online and offline business.
To shop online or visit a brick-and-mortar
store: This is the choice that every buyer has to make while making a purchase.
And, as a smart entrepreneur, you need to offer customers with options and let
them decide. In a world where online shopping is growing exponentially,
brick-and-mortar stores are still relevant.
Why are Offline Sales Still Relevant?
In 2020, US e-commerce sales were 21.3% of the
total retail sales. Although the number is higher than the ones in the past
couple of years, it is proof that physical outlets still contribute a big chunk
of total sales. Do you know why you should not overlook offline sales?
1. Maximize Average Revenue Per Customer
Offline sales or face-to-face sales allow you
to maximize your average revenue per customer. When customers are shopping
online, you can display related products to them. But, when you are selling in
person, you can convince them about the benefits of buying complementary
products. Customers can experience the relevance of the products in person, and
thus, you get a chance to increase average sales.
2. The Ability to Evaluate the Customer
When a customer enters the brick-and-mortar
store, your salesperson has the opportunity to evaluate the buyer’s behavior,
learn more about his/her body language, understand his/her requirements in
detail, and then offer an accurate solution. Sorting through a big product
catalog online with search filters may provide convenience to a few shoppers.
But, a majority of them prefer the human touch.
3. Higher Authenticity and Perceived Value
A few customers prefer in-store purchases
because of the higher perceived value of physical stores. Instead of dealing
with a seller over the web, customers feel that offline sales offer a higher
value and greater authenticity. Credibility issues reduce when you can meet the
seller in reality and evaluate the product in person instead of looking at
pictures and videos online. Additionally, customers can save money on shipping
by driving down to the nearest store.
4. Faster and More Accurate Feedback
Offline sales allow for faster feedback from
customers. An experienced salesperson will draw out meaningful reviews from
customers and offer valuable suggestions to improve their experience. If you
are introducing a new product or a service, you can decode the customer
response and make a few tweaks to improve the offering.
5. Build Long-Lasting Relations and Loyalty
The face-to-face sales technique is an
effective way to establish a relationship and build a loyal following. A common
fact is that it is cheaper to retain a customer than to sell to a new one. It
makes sense if you build a relationship and leave a lasting impression on your
customers. It will encourage them to visit your store and buy products often.
How to Bridge the Gap between Online
E-commerce Website and Offline Store Locations?
Although the strategies for selling online and
offline vary tremendously, this is for sure: Bridging the gap between bothand
integrating them is necessary because, in the end, there is no such thing as
good sales and bad sales. All sales are welcome. In addition to using in-store
sales data to curate the online website, your e-commerce store should allow
your customers to connect with the brick-and-mortar store.
1. Help Customers locate the Nearest Outlet
Display all the physical store locations on
the website with the help of a dedicated Store Locator page. Create a drop-down
list of all store locations and display them as location pins with exact GPS
coordinates on Google Maps. Allow customers to locate the nearest pickup point
by specifying the radius. This way, customers can select a convenient store
outlet to finish their shopping.
2. Use Search Filters for Convenience
In addition to finding physical outlets within
a specified radius range, you must provide search filters for a seamless
customer shopping experience. It will enable them to filter the store locations
based on different attributes such as country, state, city, and zip code. You
can also include advanced filters such as currently open stores, new arrivals,
brands, ongoing in-store discounts, etc.
3. Provide Accurate Store Information
If you want to bridge the gap between the
online shopping experience and offline sales, provide as much store information
as possible. Create separate pages for each store location and display updated
store timings, contact numbers, email addresses, available payment methods,
ongoing promotions, and stock availability. You can even show main product
categories to encourage more revenue per customer.
4. Add “Store Availability” Feature to Each
Product
If you want your customers to opt for in-store
pickups, you can display product availability at the nearest physical
locations. Provide a list of available products on the store detail page. Also,
mention a list of store locations on the individual product detail page. So,
customers will be able to navigate to the exact physical store directly from
the product page.
5. Make In-Store Pickups Easier
Provide additional shipping options in the
form of in-store pickups and curbside pickups at the time of checkout. This
way, if customers want to save on shipping charges, they can opt for in-store
pickups at a date and time of their convenience. Also, send reminder emails to
customers when the order is ready for pickup. It will ensure a seamless
transition from online shopping to offline product delivery.
6. Manage all physical stores in one
The one essential thing about bridging the gap
between online and offline sales is convenience. As an entrepreneur, your
e-commerce website should offer ease. With a simple CSV functionality to
import/export physical store locations and store orders, you will be able to
provide real-time information to customers. It will help them know if a
specific store is open for pickup, store timings, and how to get their products
on time. Include a mass order action feature so that you can process multiple
in-store pickups simultaneously and manage the entire process effortlessly.
Magento Store Locator: Combine Online Shopping
and Offline Sales
If you own a Magento e-commerce store, you are
in luck! You will find that a well-built Magento Store Locator offers all
functionalities to bridge the gap between online and offline sales. It will
enable your online customers to find the directions to your nearest physical
stores. The extension will make offline purchases and in-store pickups easier so
that customers can save on shipping charges.
While choosing an extension
, check
that it fulfills all criteria and contributes to higher sales. Work with a
reputed Magento extension development company that can customize the module to
fit your requirements. Seek tech support and learn more about the extension to
make it work harder for you.
It’s time to integrate your online business
with your offline stores!
