5 tips for designing memorable in-store customer experiences
Creating memorable customer experiences is a highly effective way to attract new customers and get repeat business. And there are some that can only be lived in a bricks-and-mortar setting, which is something you can take advantage of. So, what is the secret to great experiences and how can you replicate them in your business?
Know if you’re a task or leisure mode retailer
There are two fundamental modes that shoppers behave in when they shop: task and leisure. This insight is important for retailers because when you know this, you can work out what type of customer mode you’re servicing and optimise your experience towards that mode.
Task mode is shopping to complete a task, like buying groceries with a list. If you’re a task mode retailer, your role is to solve a customer’s problem quickly. So, your customers will value a seamless and smooth experience.
Leisure mode is when you’re looking to take your time and enjoy an experience, like shopping with friends or browsing. If you’re a leisure mode retailer, your role is to enrich the customer experience, allowing them to shop and browse at their own pace, offering advice and support as needed. Layout your store to encourage browsing and group complementary products together for impulse buys.
You can also play both roles, which if executed well can be commercially beneficial. For example, placing task mode items at the back of your store gives a customer time to switch into leisure mode and pick up other items on their way to the checkout.
Find out what type of retailer you are with retail expert Matt Newell.
Make your store easy on the senses
It should come as no surprise that it’s not just your product or service that draws customers into your store. Lighting, music, store layout and design—even the scent—can influence shopper behaviour. Creating beautiful, interesting or exciting spaces that people want to be in will not only keep them in there longer but will get them coming back for more.
What your store looks like, feels like and smells like should reflect your brand. It’s the ultimate reflection of who you are and what you stand for, so take your time getting it right.
Touch: Let your customer interact with your products. Tactile experiences can influence purchases.
Taste: If you’re in the food and beverage business, you can’t go past offering free product samples.
Smell: Scents can trigger memories and emotions that shoppers can link to brands and products. This can help drive repeat purchases.
Sight: Lighting can not only guide people in-store, but it can create an alluring atmosphere. Complement it with colours, design and textures to control where and how a customer interacts with your store.
Sound: The music you choose should reflect your brand and appeal to your audience. The tempo of the music can have an impact on how fast or slowly people move through your store.
Use visual merchandise to influence sales
Visual merchandise is how you layout your store and display products and signage to motivate customers to shop with you. It impacts every area of your store and when done well, will guide customers to purchase.
The front of the store is where customers are most influenced to purchase unplanned items, so placing your most expensive or profitable products here is a great way to increase your bottom line. Use this real estate to run eye-catching promotions to bring customers in, where you can sell them on other products.
Once inside the store, think about how your customers will navigate their way around. Create a path that makes it easy for them to explore and interact with your products. Avoid making it feel cluttered or too hectic. Focus on keeping it clean and inviting — give your products room to ‘breath’ and stand out and arrange items so they’re easy to find. Along the way, set up different displays that clearly show prices. This is especially important if you’re offering discounted items or deals.
Invest in your staff
Training your staff how to engage with and relate to customers will be time and money well spent. You want your team to create genuine connections with your customers, so interactions don’t feel fake and mechanical. Not only will it put your customers at ease, but it will lay the foundations for cross-selling and upselling.
Get your staff to make customers feel welcomed when they enter the store. A bit of small talk is a simple way to make them comfortable and to start building some rapport.
Asking open-ended questions, where a customer can’t answer yes or no but needs to provide detail, can help staff better understand what the customer needs. Armed with this information, your staff can start offering items that match what the customer is looking for and suggest other items or services to complement their purchase.
If you offer a Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) option like Afterpay, make sure you train your staff on how to introduce it into the conversion. This is especially important if financing forms part of your sales process, say, for big ticket items. The conversation needs to feel natural and be seen as a benefit for the customer—not a bolt-on that makes customers feel like they’re being forced into signing.
Let customers try before they buy
The idea of getting something for free can be a real drawcard for customers. For example, if you’re a beauty retailer you could allow customers to try different perfumes or if you run a food & beverage outlet, free food samples always go down a treat.
Product sampling lets your customers get a ‘taste’ for something before they commit to buying. And the benefits can be rewarding.
- It lets you increase the awareness of your products and brand with new and existing customers.
- By offering something free to customers, they can feel compelled to return the gesture in the form of a purchase.
- You can boost your customer’s confidence in the product you’re selling and help them with their purchasing decision.
- Offering samples of higher priced items can help you capture sales at the point of purchase.
No matter what approach you take, remember to keep the customer experience consistent across all your touch points. And don’t be afraid to test out new ideas and measure & capture how your customers respond.
All references to any registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Afterpay does not endorse or recommend any one particular supplier and the information provided is for educational purposes only.
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