The online sales account for 8-10% of the total consumer spending. This figure is expected to shoot up to a massive amount of $6.7 trillion by 2020. The incredible statistics show the potential the virtual shops have in the future. Despite the growing awareness and the technological advancement of the consumers, the market share for the eCommerce companies is currently low. This is because, there are a lot of aspects in which the physical still has a upper hand.
In addition, over the past few years the eCommerce stores has given fresh competition to brick and mortar stores. Yet there are a lot of things that the online store can learn from physical shops. Listed below are some of the things that eCommerce can learn from brick and mortal. Scan on to know.
Focus on visual merchandising
Every purchase intention starts with window shopping. The products kept at the window might motivate the visitors to go inside and explore the store. The same goes true for the online shopping stores as well. A well-designed layout and front-end might attract the customers. Even if the store is digital, a neat and uncluttered interface can influence the customers to further browse the site.
Here are some of the takeaways from the brick and mortar store in this regards.
- The visual appeal is the first thing that grabs the attention of the visitors. So, the product images with high resolution is a must. The graphical triggers should be able to grab the attention of the visitors.
- The product description should be informative enough to fill-in for the sales person.
- The seasonal influence is one of the ways to standout in the crowd. The layout of the website should be in accordance to the occasion.
- The call-to-actions and other such buttons should be clearly visible and should motivate the customer purchase in.
Instant presence is a must
It is not just the visual branding that’s important. One of the trend that has seen a change in recent past is the customer buying behavior. While earlier the shoppers would rely on the word-of-mouth, the customers these days tend to make their purchases then and there. This has compelled the physical stores to open up their outlets at every nook-and-corner. This implies to the online shopping sites as well. As per a report, 54% of the American shopper would use their mobile devices to make their purchases. The eCommerce store owners need to bring their sites in the pockets of the customers. A mobile responsive website may be handy, but a mobile store can help you tap a larger audience. The mobile app builder for Android and iOS is one of the ways to convert your store into a mobile app. Offers your services to the customers whenever they require. Moreover, the location-based services is another factor that the online companies need to learn from the physical stores. Even the location-based mobile searches are on the rise. The content of your mobile app should be optimized in order to provide the answers to the questions being asked by the customers. The search volume of the queries such as ‘Where can I find…’ are high. So, optimize your site and application accordingly.
Personalize the shopping experience
The eCommerce giants such as Amazon has reaped result by including this aspect. Personalize the shopping experience of the customers and help them relate to the services offered by you. This is what the sales pitch at any shop is all about. In fact, 85% of the consumers think that personalization play a vital role in their purchase decision. Use the personal information of the customers to enhance their shopping experience. The online shoppers get distracted soon and never actually completes the transaction. Use their transaction history to send them personalize pitches. For instance, messages like ‘Get 10% off on this product in your cart’ can trigger the purchase intention of the buyers.
Let them bargain
Hitting the bargain is the most intriguing factor for the shoppers while shopping offline. It won’t be wrong to state that the a discount coupon of 10-20% is usually taken for granted and may even be ignored. However, if the same discount will be well-appreciated if the customers get a feel of striking a deal. Offer the giveaways in an innovative way. The interactive pop-ups like spin and win or scratch coupons can help you tap this psychology of the shoppers.
Recreate the in-store feel
The biggest drawback of the online stores is that they lack the touch and feel of the products. While earlier bridging this gap was slightly difficult, with the technological advancements, this can now be done. LensCart is one of the best examples for the same. The option to try the glasses without actually trying them has provided them the competitive edge. Other than the product images, the product videos can provide a better clarity to the customers. Quick product delivery is another important aspect that eCommerce companies need to learn from brick and mortar stores. Providing options like one-day delivery and quick shipping options can enhance the user experience.
Guide the customers to the checkout page
Who would like to stand in long queues? The organized sections and multiple counters at the physical stores are aimed at driving the customers to the conversion funnel. The same funnel is to be followed by online shops as well. Make sure that your category pages are uncluttered and well-organized. Easy navigation coupled with filters should allow the customers to find their product easily. Instead of making the customers to fumble upon the lengthy sign-up process, improve the registrations with social media sign-up. The path from the product page to the payment gateway should be simple as well. One page checkout is the best way to motivate the customers to complete the transaction.
Wrap up
From personalized marketing to discount sale, traditional retailers have many options to spur their business growth. Even the e-retailers have a lot of tactics at their disposal to reduce abandoned cart and boost the conversions. Just a bit of learning from the conventional business models coupled with the advanced technology can help you take your eCommerce business to new heights.
