This Christmas represents a special opportunity for retailers. As you may remember, last year’s festivities were rudely snatched away from us by Coronavirus.
Plans were scuppered, reunions cancelled, and high streets left desolate. 2021 offers a much rosier outlook. With restrictions removed, revellers can flock to Christmas markets and stores without a care in the world.
We’ve already seen promising footfall increases recently and will likely see numbers creep up over the coming weeks. As a retailer, this short period can make or break a year which is why it’s so important to get everything right.
Despite online shopping continuing it’s ascendency, bricks and mortar shops can still provide a real experience. Something that sitting in your dressing gown ordering off Amazon will never be able to match.
The Christmas shopping experience is more important than ever
The last 18 months or so have changed our lives completely. One of the more affected areas has been how we buy things.
While the shift to digital commerce has been there for all to see for some time, Covid-19 accelerated it’s progress. At first, this was through necessity. Trying on a pair of trousers became not only impractical, but actually illegal for periods of lockdown.
Even as shops reopened, people had become accustomed to online shopping. Mckinsey research showed that even after restrictions had been lifted, only half of people were engaging in normal ‘out-of-home’ activities.
So, to tempt people off their sofa and onto the shop floor, it’s vital to provide a positive Christmas shopping experience.
How to provide a positive Christmas shopping experience
It’s harder that you might imagine. While simply throwing up some tinsel might be a good start, there’s a lot more to effectively tap into people’s love of the festive period.
That’s why we’ve put together a few simple pointers to bear in mind and help you find the sweet spot this Christmas.
Remember not everyone likes Christmas
It’s a strange concept, but appealing to Christmas shoppers will mean appealing to those who wish the whole thing was over.
While some are just born with the scrooge gene, others may have more substantial reasons why they don’t enjoy ‘the most wonderful time of the year’.
So, when your deciding how high to crank up the cheer on the shop floor, cast a thought for those that find the whole thing a bit much.
Even for those that do enjoy Christmas, garish decorations and over the top festivities might keep people shopping elsewhere.
Remind customers what they liked about shopping
To tempt people out of the warmth of their home, there has to be something for them. Being about to offer a festive experience alone is unlikely to have a huge impact.
That’s why you need to get accross the value that your bricks and mortar locations offer, over online retail. Highlighting special in-store deals might help get some of the more frugal customers.
You can also focus on how going to the shop floor will be much quicker than ordering online. This will be especially poignant as Christmas draws nearer and those who buy presents last minute ever year begin their annual ritual of panic.
Understanding your customers and what exactly they value about your brand will be key in what messages are communicated and how.
Don’t let a lost phone ruin the Christmas shopping experience
As people flock to stores, the likelihood of someone leaving something behind during their spending frenzy is high. It’s important that there is a system place to handle this.
After all, the only thing worse than someone leaving your shop with less than they entered is never getting it back. Notlost’s purpose-built lost and found software ensures that staff can log found items instantly.
When a customer comes looking for a lost item, you can direct them to our self service portal where they enter details of the missing item. From there our system matches the two up and provides the customer with a range of return options.
While it might seem like only a small detail, ensuring that you take lost property seriously can go a long way. It shows that you value customers beyond what they spend, and that you are willing to go the extra mile to make sure their needs are met.