Former family therapist providing retail therapy as owner of Austin boutiques estilo, estilo Men & estilo Kids.
In a time where hundreds of millions of people shop online, and e-commerce sales are in the trillions, many people don’t see the need to open a brick-and-mortar store anymore. But I disagree.
Yes, with brick-and-mortar there’s the huge added expense of real estate and staffing, but I believe that the model is worth a look because even with the escalation of people shopping from their phones unless you’re Amazon, Walmart or another big box store, you could likely benefit from having a tangible outpost to grow your brand and business. Here are six reasons why.
1. People prefer a 360 experience to something purely transactional.
When people know exactly what they want while shopping online, they will generally find it and check it out (then often return it later at the expense of the seller, who has to offer free returns to stay competitive). If browsing, I assure you most aren’t getting enjoyment from scrolling, certainly not the way one does when holding things in their hands at stores. And, as anyone with an online business knows, thousands of things are left in people’s carts without ever being purchased every day, creating missed opportunities that can seldomly be rescued through an automated abandon cart email.
When shopping in-store, customers can ask basic questions to a trained and knowledgeable sales associate face-to-face and transition the conversation into personalized one-on-one help. When shopping for clothing and apparel, customers are not limited to questions but can be engaged with styling assistance, such as help with a back-zipper or styling a belt or jewelry with an outfit.
In-store shopping allows customers to try on or experience an unlimited number of things without the worry of preparing returns for the post office, UPS or FedEx. A hardware store sales associate can see and touch pieces that need to be replaced or repaired to quickly help customers with projects and maybe even advise on assembly and construction.
2. You can provide a sensory experience.
How many times have you ordered something online, only to receive it and the item did not look, feel or even smell like you would have expected? Particularly when customers are shopping from places like Instagram, that cute dress you saw and purchased is likely being drop-shipped directly from low-quality factories with fabric that, while cheap and cheerful, you would not want to brush up against your skin. For home goods, there might be a strong odor from the plastic that requires days to air out. On the other hand, when shopping in-store, customers can use sight, touch and smell to confirm their purchasing decisions.
3. You can take advantage of impulse shopping.
Online shopping can be more economical and less time-consuming for customers on a mission to quickly find and purchase a specific item that they need. But, in a brick-and-mortar store owners and operators can capitalize on impulsiveness, strategically placing items that customers subconsciously “need” as they wait at the checkout counter as well as pairing complementary products together when the shopper originally only planned to purchase one item.
For example, if a customer is specifically dress shopping but the dresses are displayed with the perfect necklace for the neckline, or they try on the dress, and the stylist in the store offers a shoe “just to try on with the dress,” you can possibly garner extra sales. Similarly, for an arts and crafts store, if a customer is shopping just for paint, they’re likely to leave with a palette of brushes, canvases and extra colors of paint if those items are effectively displayed alongside the paints.
4. It’s a more rewarding model for extroverted business owners.
A lot depends on why you decided to start your business and your personality type. For more introverted business owners, running an online store may be ideal. But for those entrepreneurs who are more extroverted or just extremely passionate about selling their products or services, nothing can replace in-store conversation and socialization.
When customers experience an enthusiastic owner or operator, it can be contagious and build long-term relationships that lead to repeat shoppers and a willingness to buy more products because they see the effort that went into making or merchandising them.
5. People crave relationships.
As a former licensed family therapist, I know that part of the process of being happy is creating relationships and having experiences throughout the day that bring you joy. For a lot of customers, retail stores create those opportunities, especially as you get to know the people who work in the places you frequent.
I know many store owners, including myself, who abide by the philosophy of not having a sole emphasis on sales goals, but also on relationship goals. They recognize that if you develop a relationship with the customer, those customers will come back. Having “your place to shop” can help you feel more grounded and tied to the community.
6. Location can aid discovery.
If a new store is online only, it can be difficult to find without paid advertising or significant investment in social media and search engine optimization. If customers can’t find you quickly online, you’re not going to have any business.
A brick-and-mortar location that is strategically located in an area where your shopper naturally visits can be a game changer for foot traffic and discovery. For example, I opened my store across the street from an elementary school and next to a Starbucks; I opened at 8 a.m. because I knew this would regularly bring in parents after they finished school drop off—and were happily caffeinated.
Forbes Business Council is the foremost growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders. Do I qualify?
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