Put health and safety first
Health and safety are top of mind for many Canadians. While some shoppers are keen to return to the maskless pre-pandemic shopping experience, many consumers — including half of Ontarians — still plan to wear masks.
Retailers should have a health and safety policy in place to ensure all customers feel comfortable. Create guidelines for mask usage by staff and consumers, and communicate your business’ mask and vaccination policy in-store, via posters, and online. Finally, have hand sanitizer available at key points throughout the store to help create a safer environment for staff and shoppers.
Level up your displays
A return to in-store shopping brings with it an opportunity to create a unique customer experience, and upgraded displays can attract and delight shoppers. Innovative window displays can help you attract customers off the street and entice e-commerce customers back to the store. Do them well by selecting a theme that will resonate with your shoppers, carefully curating products that tell a story, and using bold shapes, colors and lighting to add visual flair.
Consider investing in in-store displays, too, featuring your most in-demand goods. Not only can unique displays enhance the customer experience, they can also help direct foot traffic within the store, facilitating social distancing so more cautious shoppers can feel at ease.
Host in-store events
Stores can also entice shoppers with [experiential marketing], such as exclusive events, showings and product demonstrations. Consider inviting your most loyal customers to join you in-store for an exclusive private shopping experience, product launch or product sampling event. Deepen your roots in the community by hosting a book reading with a local author, or an event with local influencers. Or partner with neighboring retailers to host a joint event to attract each others’ shoppers.
Offer exclusive in-store promotions
Customers who are used to shopping with you online may need an added boost to come into your store — and exclusive promotions can entice them back. Consider offering discounts or promotions that can only be redeemed in-store, or stocking limited edition items exclusively at your retail locations.
Leverage online sales to drive foot traffic — for example, by sending customers a discount code they can redeem in-store after they’ve made a purchase on your website. And advertise in-store promotions and exclusive items on social media and via email to reach your customer base online.
Consider extending curbside pickup
The return to in-store shopping won’t happen overnight. Not all Canadians feel comfortable shopping in-store the way they did before the pandemic, and some customers still crave the convenience of curbside pickup.
Consider making curbside pickup an extended — or even permanent — option for customers to remain connected to shoppers who aren’t yet ready for an in-store experience. Doing so can pay off: research from Shopify shows that online shoppers who opt for local pickup are 13% more likely to make a purchase, and those that choose curbside pickup or click-and-collect spend 23% more than those who don’t.
The bottom line
Many Canadians are primed to return to normal, while others may need encouragement to shop in-store. Retailers that create an exceptional in-store customer experience, while being sensitive to health and safety concerns, are poised to thrive.
This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice or an opinion on any issue. It should not be regarded as comprehensive or a substitute for professional advice.