Running a retail business is hard work because there’s plenty of competition out there. If you want to make your business stand out from the crowd, you’ve got to use technology. Here are three ways you can use technology for your retail business:
Online Store/Website
If you have a retail business, you need to make good use of online technologies. In particular, you need a website. Your website is an online extension of your physical store. It’s a place for people to shop for your products from the comfort of their home. You’ll want to make sure your online store is professionally presented and that the brand/experience is the same online as in person.
I also find it important to include information sections for your online store. Have an ‘About Us’ page where customers can read about the company and your vision and learn more about you and your business. Also, a contact page with your retail store address, hours, and any other contact information that is pertinent is needed too. You want to make it easy for people to locate you.
Internet Shopping Process: Infographic
Mobile/Tablet Point Of Sale
Every retail business is going to need a point of sale (POS) where customers carry out transactions. They shop around, then bring stuff to the POS to pay for it. These days, you’ll notice a lot of businesses are opting for mobile or tablet POS, as seen on TallySoft.com. The benefit of a mobile point of sale is that it’s, obviously, mobile. So, you can carry it around, and it isn’t stuck to one area of the store. This is great because you could have employees walking around with the devices allowing customers to pay for things as they shop. It’s especially good in cases where someone may only pop in for one or two items. They don’t want to spend ages waiting in a queue to pay for two things. So, you can bring the POS to them, with a mobile system.
Also, mobile/table points of sale will store loads of data about your sales. You can see what products are being bought more than others. It also lets you notice any patterns, like if sales go up during a certain period. And since it is mobile – if you do trade shows or conduct sales off site you can bring it with you.
Mobile App
You may want to consider a mobile app for your retail store. There are many reasons why a business needs an app, some of which are shown on appyourbiz.com. It can be a great way to market your retail store and offer exclusive savings or discounts to customers who have downloaded it. Being able to have your information at your customers’ fingertips is one of the best reasons to have a mobile app.
A mobile app also allows you to remain visible to your customers at all times. We spend on average two hours a day on our mobiles devices. Even if customers are not using your app every day it is still seen on their mobile device when going through an opening up other apps. It is a way to stay on their radar and have a billboard in front of your customers and build brand recognition.
A mobile app also lets your digitize your loyalty rewards program and have customers collect points, special offers, etc right through the app. That can result in more downloads and build loyalty at the same time. Not mention the value-added customer service experience.
If you are in the retail business why not try one of the suggestions mentioned above?
Photo Credits: Bigstock
