Turning consumers into buyers requires so much more than just an everyday low price. Customers have more options than ever before, which means that a good price on the item that they need won’t necessarily be hard to find. The difference between brands often comes in how easy it is for the shopper to find what they want, purchase it, and move on to their next task with the least possible effort. By making it easy for shoppers to find and purchase what they want, when they want it, you position your brand to earn their business.
Create the Moment When Customers Become Shoppers
When does a customer become a shopper? It starts with becoming receptive to the idea of buying, which means different things depending on the customer and context. Some customers will be shoppers from the get-go, because they badly need something, and you have it… this is relevant now more than ever. That doesn’t mean they’ll automatically become buyers, but if you stock what they need and make it easy to find, you’ve got a great shot at earning business.
In many other cases, however, the customer won’t have the sort of pressing need that makes them an instant shopper. They’ll be coming to you with questions, a vague idea of what they want, or a desire to see how you treat customers before they get serious about shopping. They’re browsing what you have to offer and looking to learn more than simply what you have in stock. They may have an item in mind already, or they may be searching for a solution to a specific problem. This is where your customer experience and your employees make all the difference.
How to Turn Shoppers into Buyers
Once a customer becomes serious about shopping, the focus turns even more sharply onto getting them what they want, when they want it, with as little friction as possible. They know what they want, and they know that you have it, but that doesn’t mean the sale is automatic. The more barriers that you put between the shopper and what they want, the more time the shopper has to second-guess. When a shopper has a buyer’s mindset, you don’t want to waste the opportunity.
The first step is making things easy to find – regardless of whether they’re shopping online or in-store. As shoppers, we’re all conditioned to both expect and value convenience. Most shoppers know that they can find what they need from Amazon in a matter of seconds, and they expect similar convenience wherever they choose to shop. Make things easy for customers to find, and make sure your employees are equipped to lend a hand any time a customer is having trouble getting to what they need.
Simplicity is the New EDLP (Everyday Low Price) – Frictionless Retail Is the Retail of the Future
Shoppers still want an everyday low price, but they can find that almost anywhere with a few clicks. It’s not really enough to set you apart or turn shoppers into buyers on its own. What shoppers really need is simplicity, from start to finish. They don’t like waiting, and they don’t like searching aimlessly. The sooner a shopper finds what they want and the faster you can get it to them, the more likely they are to buy it. This is even more important now that almost everyone is recognizing, and able to monetize, their time. Convenience is more important than ever before.
And shoppers are looking for more than just an easy path to finding the products or services that they seek. Shoppers also want to pay in the way that’s most convenient for them, and they want you to remember their preferences each time they come back. When a busy mom or dad is out searching for products for the kids, they want to be in and out as quickly as possible. They value businesses that anticipate their needs and streamline the experience in a personal way.
Frictionless retail – from finding products easily to making a purchase as conveniently as possible – is the true future of retail. You can have low prices, but without the simplicity and convenience to match, your brand will be left behind. Inspiring shoppers to adopt a buyer’s mindset is a great start, but simplicity is the real key to closing the deal.
Be sure to keep in mind with what is happening right now, in this new COVID-19 environment, all of this #RetailRelevancy evolution is being accelerated. Don’t get left behind.