5 Ways to Drive More In-Store Sales For Your Retail Business

Increasing in-store sales is essential for the success of any retail business, especially in today’s competitive market. While online shopping continues to grow, brick-and-mortar stores still have the advantage of personal interaction and immediate product access.

Around 87% of all consumers shop online. This is a huge figure, driven by the increase in smart device ownership, digital marketing, and need for quick and easy convenience. Yet many shoppers do still visit physical stores, with 58% of consumers preferring the traditional methods.

If your retail business has both an online and a physical store, you likely have more success with one than the other. And this may depend on a range of factors such as your demographic, the nature of your product or service, and the location of your store. If your physical store has experienced a drop in sales, or you are not getting as much footfall as you’d like, you don’t have to be disheartened. This doesn’t foretell the end of physical shopping for good. It just means you have some work to do. There are several steps you can take to drive more in-store sales for your retail business and give your profits a much-needed boost. Here are five effective ways to drive more in-store sales and keep customers coming back.

1). Create a loyalty program
Many stores and supermarkets offer loyalty cards to their regular customers. This allows them to accrue points for each purchase, which can then be exchanged for store credit, prizes or other perks. You can also give discounts to those who use their loyalty card in your retail store. Offer your online followers and in-store customers the opportunity to sign up. You will soon notice the footfall increase and the regular customers keep coming back.

2). Have a sale
Shoppers love a good sale, and holding one in your store will entice plenty of people to come on the hunt for good deals. Make sure to promote the sale well in advance, to ensure enough people are aware of it and have time to plan accordingly. The sale could just be a one-day affair or could even run for a whole month. It’s a great way to get rid of stock that is hard to shift, while bringing new customers to your brand.

3).Streamline the payment process
You want to make it as easy as possible for customers to part with their money. Some older consumers still prefer to pay with cash, while younger demographics like to use their phone. Offer several different payment alternatives, including cash payment and a credit card machine that accepts mobile payments.

4). Host in-store events
An event is a fantastic way to drum up business and get people in off the street. Inviting known people from your industry to speak can be a great way to retain a captive audience, or even hosting a raffle, quiz night, or food tasting event could be a huge success. The exact nature of your event will depend on your business, product, or service, but it offers shoppers a chance to experience something different.

5). Improve your curb appeal
Curb appeal refers to how appealing your store looks from the outside. If it is just a drab storefront, it is not going to attract much interest from people who don’t know your business. So liven it up with some colourful decoration, creative window displays, and an amusing chalkboard message outside to get people’s attention.