Retailers all over the world are looking for new ways to get shoppers to revisit retail stores. In the light of the post-Covid time and the accelerated pace of digital information, the future is challenging for retail stores, to say the least.

But there is no need for fear. Here, we have detailed 7 digital marketing strategies that retailers can adopt today to engage customers in brand new way, from AI chatbot solutions to AR/VR, Click and Collect to Google Business Profile. Let’s get right into it.

Here are two examples of how you can spice up your retail store experience.

a) Offer In-Store Digital Browsing Options

A very nifty practice is to offer a tablet or other digital device upon entry. So the shoppers can view your entire catalog of products right there and pick which ones to see, try, and buy.

You can even take things up a notch by powering your next marketing campaign with a digital trial redemption.

In 2021, CooperVision worked with AiChat to create a campaign called "Live Up Your Life," where customers could learn about its new contact lenses and sign up to receive free trial by interacting with an AI chatbot. There were three ways the campaign was marketed; sponsored Facebook posts, influencers marketing, and QR code found on the posters in the optical stores.

3 ways for customers to discover Coopervision campaign

All of them brought customers directly to Facebook Messenger. In Messenger, the bot is equipped to handle the registration flow. Reminders are scheduled to customers when actions are not completed. Users could also self-serve on Facebook Messenger to find more information regarding how to wear the content lenses or how to have proper care for the eyes, locate an optical store, or leave a message with Customer Care.

Over 4200 people interacted with the bot to initiate the sign-up process. 22% of the people who received next-day notifications and 41% of those who received notifications five days later came back to sign up. And 1 in every 3 people redeemed the free trial packs.

b) Inventory-less System

Sephora recently introduced its Text and Collect service. Customers place orders online and pick them up at the store within two hours. Customers may talk with beauty consultants on the app without leaving their homes, reserve items in advance, and meet a personal shopper for further purchasing guidance when they visit physical stores.

Mobile apps are the most prominent digital element in business now. If you do not prioritize the devices in the hands of your customers, you will miss out. There are many ways to prioritise mobile in your business, from providing chat support in messaging channels to launching product app with high-tech features like virtual (VR) or augmented reality (AR).

With a product app, you can make your customers aware of everything you have to offer and promote products with in-app notifications. You can also enable AR/VR technology to enhance their shopping experience further and drive sales. Recently, Lazada added AR try-on features for beauty lovers. This allows customers to try the products digitally, before visiting the store.

Lazada user trying on beauty products in real-time

On the other hand, your customers should be able to reach you on whichever platform they find you on instantly. If they see you on Facebook, they should be able to contact you via Facebook Messenger instantly. You need to be where your customers are, not the other way around.

To make things easier for yourself, use a unified customer experience platform instead of having your conversations with the same customer scattered across different messaging apps.

If you want customers to flock to your stores, one surefire way is to launch limited edition products. Limited editions trigger the fear of missing out (FOMO) in people. With FOMO, customers tend to act with more urgency. A report by WhichTestWon revealed 9% more customer interaction with the inclusion of a countdown timer on the product listing.

Another way to get customers acting with urgency is brand collaborations. People flocked like there was no tomorrow to stores during the Omega x Swatch collaboration.

People queueing at the Swatch outlets for the Omega x Swatch collection on March, 2022

BOPIS, or “Buy Online, Pick Up In-store,” is also known as “Click & Collect". This is a great example of omnichannel retail—where customers interact with a brand and its products through multiple channels from online to offline. Instead of receiving an online order via delivery, customers have the option to pick up the item at the store without paying for shipping fees or risking a delivery delay. This is convenient for both retailers and customers.

Retailers don’t need to worry about delivering products, and customers can pick the products up any time they want. Top retailers like Apple, IKEA, Cold Storage, Harvey Norman, Guardian are already offering this increasingly popular service. It is expected that 90% of brick and mortar stores will offer BOPIS by 2021.

Adobe Analytics found that BOPIS increased by 208% during the first quarter of 2020. The convenience and enhanced experience of BOPIS cannot even be replicated by same-day shipping.

Already offering BOPIS? Combine this with a messaging ad campaign to boost your sales further.

Tesco chatbot powered by AiChat issue voucher codes to every user who successfully shared the video they created to draw foot traffic to their stores. The campaign proved to be an immense success.

In our post-lockdown world, retailers should make full use of their 2 primary resources — the floor space and staff —to increase sales.

Online shoppers can be routed to in-store sales associates. Associates can use video calling software to show customers shortlisted items or even demonstrate the use of a product. On your floor, you can designate one or more areas for private consultations for both online and offline customers.

Luxury retailers would benefit from this service since shoppers tend to consult with sales associates for advice before purchasing large-ticket items. The same is true for other retailers that sell big-ticket items like furniture, home appliances, etc.

Embracing this tactic can help you create a seamless omnichannel retail experience and in turn, gaining an edge on your competition.

You can’t have a sustainable business if your customers switch around very often. Keeping old customers is much more cost-effective than constantly bringing in new ones. Loyal customers will, over time, spend more and even bring in new customers, as Harvard Business Review says.

Start leveraging “Reciprocity Bias” to build customer loyalty. This cognitive bias leads humans to follow up one positive action with another. When you provide a positive service experience for customers, they will keep coming back. Below are three ways this bias can help you engage and connect with your customers:

a) Rewards Or Loyalty Programs

Brands have loyalty programs to incentivise customers to achieve the key desired milestones like purchasing a specific product or spending a certain amount at the store.

A great example is Petron's AI chatbot, Tania. From the various offerings across Fuel and Partnerships’ rewards, Tania educates customers on the Miles loyalty card registration, keeps customers updated on the newest promotions and merchandise available for redemption as well as locate the nearest Petron service stations for one to start redeeming.

Petron's Tania chatbot

She also exhibits rich product knowledge by serving up product information like the benefits of Petron petrol, engine oils and liquid petroleum gas – all within a few chats. That has increased the number of customers in the loyalty program by a significant margin.

b) Create A Frictionless Shopping Environment

You can’t go far with a customer experience that feels like a hassle. Ensure the process is smooth and the customer feels welcome shopping at your store. It's time to automate your customer service with conversation AI, so customers don’t need to wait for long.

c) Anticipate Customer Needs

Your customers are not static. Their needs won’t always be the same. Retailers need to be ahead of trends to provide them with what they need before they need it. Invest in gathering customer data and use it to enhance the personalised shopping experience. Check out Amazon’s hyper-personalized experiences.

Google Business Profile, previously known as Google My Business, is a cost-effective way to create a business profile that helps customers find your exact location on Google map. From ways to contact you to product lists and customer reviews, Google Business Profile puts all of that directly into the hands of your potential customers.

GBP enables you to be on top of the search results page, providing a high visibility spot for your website. For example, a search for “sports stores in Kuala Lumpur” yielded the following results in a high-visibility panel, right above the organic listings and paid listings.

Google Business Profile

Using GBP, businesses can display their logo, operating hours and location, along with information about their products and services — all in an engaging way. Customers can directly message your brand via Google Business Messages, which allows you to better answer questions and appeal to more last-mile shoppers in real-time.

MR.

DIY, one of the largest home improvement retailers in the region with 700+ stores across Malaysia, has partnered up with AiChat and Google for this initiative to drive promotion redemption via Business Message.

Within the first 3 months, the brand has achieved significant success with Business Message implementation. “The pilot program provided us with a new solution to engage with our customers...reach out to more users and connect with those interested in our future promotions”, says MR.

DIY's Senior Executive (Digital Marketing), Marion Galid. Contactless retail interactions may seem like a new-age concept, but they hold great relevance in the new reality. Post-covid, brands will have to adapt and innovate to make brand interactions more memorable.

We hope these 7 retail strategies will help you to thrive in the new normal. Over to you now!