Customer engagement is the foundation of any online or offline business. Further, it is a very challenging task to engage and retain customers in offline retail stores. Customers want a hassle-free in-store shopping experience. We can implement various features in our store to make an easy and successful customer journey.
One of the biggest challenges retailers face today is improving their in-store shopping experience.
Customers want to be served quickly without any issues and delays. Customers do not hesitate to walk out and shop elsewhere if they do not like the quality and price of the products and services.
To meet these high expectations and provide a better in-store shopping experience, retailers need to implement new digital technologies that will help them improve customer shopping experiences.
Let us go through some of the innovative digital commerce technologies that can improve the in-store shopping experience of consumers:
Click and Collect
Retailers can allow customers to place orders online via mobile apps or e-commerce websites. Then these customers can choose the nearest physical outlet or retail store to collect their ordered items.
This way, customers do not need to wander into the shopping mall and visit every shop to find the right products for their needs. Since they can easily search the whole website, they can also save time and energy. For example, if someone is looking for a particular size of apparel, then you can easily find it online.
After that, they only need to pick up the items as per their availability time and convenience. Also, customers no longer need to stay at home and wait for the delivery person to arrive.
Share Deals Using Beacon Technology
Beacons are Bluetooth devices that use low energy to operate. The beacons emit their location up to a range of up to 200 NM with a frequency of 110MHz.
The beacon devices can be attached to particular sections of a retail store where some ongoing offers are available. As soon as a nearby customer passes by, the beacon will notify the product deals to the customer through a push notification on his electronic devices like a smartwatch or mobile phone.
If you can implement this beacon technology in your physical store, your customers will love to engage and know more about the available discounts. It will also increase in-store sales and improve customer reach.
Progressive Web App Checkout
The PWA mobile app is much faster and easy to operate than a native mobile app. A PWA uses cookies and cache for the fast delivery of the content.
A Progressive Web App is not an actual app that needs to be downloaded and installed. Comparatively, a PWA requires minimal storage space than a native mobile application.
Further, where there is low mobile data connectivity or the internet fluctuates frequently, shoppers can use PWA for faster checkout.
The PWA also has a less loading time and offers almost all the features of an e-commerce website to do online checkout. Many fast-food restaurants can offer PWA, where the customers do not need to stand in queues to order food. They can sit at the table, scan the QR code from their smartphone and use PWA to place an order.
AR Map Navigation
Augmented-Reality blends digital objects and information into real-world environments. It can show interactive maps, directions, and other information on a smartphone screen. With AR map navigation, customers can easily find their way around supermarkets and superstores.
Some stores have even started using augmented reality to improve customer experience. For example, Ikea has introduced an AR map navigation app for their customers that helps them find their way around the store. And it also provides product-related information.
This new AR navigation technology allows customers to see the store layout in 3D. AR also helps the customer find items quicker. AR map navigation is a new trend that will change our shopping experience forever.
One Step checkout
The customer journey is a process that starts with the first contact and ends with the purchase. A good customer experience will make them feel welcomed, respected, and valued.
One of the main reasons customers abandon their shopping carts is because they have to spend a lot of time at checkout. The longer it takes, the lesser is chance to complete their purchase.
So how can we improve the in-store shopping experience? One-step checkout. It is an innovative design that simplifies the process by removing steps and making it easier for customers to complete their purchases. With this solution, customers can avoid wasting time on unnecessary steps like entering payment information or shipping address again and again.
Coupons and Promotions
We live in the age of technology. And it is hard to imagine a world without it. Technology has changed many aspects of our lives as how we shop and what we buy. Today, instead of going to a store, we order from an online retailer or use an app to purchase items.
Stores now offer coupons and promotions to compete with online retailers. They are also using technology such as kiosks, mobile apps, and tablets so customers can browse products while they shop in the store.
Retailers should find new ways to make their stores more attractive to shoppers who want convenience or a different experience than shopping at home.
The future of retail lies in creating a personalized shopping experience that suits shoppers’ needs rather than focusing on price alone as the only way to compete with e-commerce sites like Amazon or Walmart. Retailers should improve their customer service skills, provide more convenient payment options, and provide discounts on purchases.
Introducing AR Commerce
Augmented reality commerce is the next step in e-commerce. It is a technology that enables customers to shop on their mobile phones while they are in a store. Customers can try the virtual products on themselves. Such as sunglasses, lipstick shades, and shoes.
This technology has many use cases. AR also helps customers find the right size, see how a product will look on them before buying it, or even get more information about the product.
AR-based commerce is a new way to shop in stores. It can change the way we shop for goods in physical stores.
The future of augmented reality will be about how retailers can use this technology to create an immersive shopping experience for their customers.
Conclusion
To summarize, we can say that by using innovative technologies such as Click & Collect, PWA, beacon, and AR map navigation, store owners can improve their customers’ in-store shopping experience. Shoppers are the most concerned about the best-fit product, followed by the faster checkout process and improved customer service. It tells us that stores need to pay more attention to these aspects to improve their in-store shopping experiences.
