The competitiveness in the retail industry has driven business owners to seek new ways of attracting customers; thankfully, technological advancements have given us more means to reach customers. Therefore, businesses must remain mindful of them to use them as their leverage; not doing so can put them behind in the competition. The 21st century has witnessed tremendous advancement in digital technology – it’s utilized in almost every industry. In this article, we’ll see how the digital era has opened more doors for retailers to enhance their business.
Make your store go digital
The biggest difference between the retail business having a digital presence and not is having a webstore. Ecommerce stores can significantly boost your sales by reaching more people and help you retain your customer base by providing them the convenience of shopping from their homes. With an ecommerce store,
You can sell to customers worldwide.
You can sell to customers who can’t visit your physical store.
You can sell more items than you can display at a physical store having limited space.
These are just some examples; there are numerous other benefits to having an online store. Please read this article, “Ecommerce Vs Traditional Commerce”.
Leverage the digital ecosystem
Digital technology has established its presence in every walk of life – from catching a cab to taking classes remotely. Retailers should look at this as an opportunity to reach more people in different ways; digital technology has provided retail businesses with platforms other than just ecommerce stores that they can leverage to gain more customers.
Partnership with discount apps: People love discounts. Consider partnering up with a discount app to draw more customers to your business. Such apps are popular among people looking for discounts; discovering your business on them will encourage new people to try your business who otherwise would be hesitant.
Establish your presence on online platforms: Online presence doesn’t just mean having an ecommerce store retailers must ensure their business is discoverable on popular online venues.
Make social media business accounts on popular social platforms.
Ensure customer leaves good reviews online.
Provide online chat support.
Introduce online activities featuring your brand.
Ensure popular online maps list your business.
Write blogs.
Online advertisement: It’s estimated that more than 5 billion people use the internet worldwide; this signifies a massive opportunity to reach your potential customer through online paid advertisement. Study what audience type your product attracts and run your ads accordingly on online platforms where you can reach them.
Implementation of digital tools
For ecommerce, the digital world is entrenched far behind webstores and online platforms; we have many tools, from software to tangible devices, that can enhance our retail operations.
Self-checkout: One recent advancement in the physical retail business domain is the introduction of self-checkout, eliminating the dreadful traditional checkout process. Technology has made it possible to automatically scan the product as customers put them into their cart and charge them accordingly as they leave. This has made the whole shopping experience more seamless for customers and business operations more efficient.
Scan apps: Scanning apps enable the mobile checkout process for retailers, allowing them to sell remotely; they can sell at pop-up stalls, exhibitions, on-the-go carts, and salespersons to their clients on the go. Therefore, such apps eliminate the need to carry bulky equipment for checkout terminals and open more opportunities for remote selling. One example of such an app is the x2x Pick-N-Scan app for RMH.
Mobile payments: Where everything has become digital, payment is not behind. While we all are familiar with card payments, the new advancement in digital technology has enabled mobile payment, making the process more seamless. Customers can scan their cellphones or smart watches to instantly pay, eliminating the need for carrying and swiping cards.
Conclusion
Digital technology has gifted us with great means to enhance our lifestyles in multiple ways. Its adaption in the business world isn’t just necessary but inevitable to increase operations efficiency and customer experience. Therefore, businesses must educate themselves on the great opportunities it provides us.
The x2xecommerce being an ecommerce solution provider can help your retail business go digital and implement solutions to integrate it with your physical store. Reach out for any query or a free demo.