The Evolution of the Retail Store: eCommerce Is Changing Brick-and-Mortar Stores

There’s no denying that eCommerce is transforming the physical store environment. More shoppers are choosing to shop online, and those who venture in-store want to enjoy an equally convenient experience.

Adapting your physical business to suit the digital world might not seem possible, but it can be with the right experts by your side, such as commercial interior fit-out experts Zhoosh. If you also need a helping hand in knowing where to start, take note of the following information.

Ensure Online and In-Person Work In Harmony

You might have the most contemporary and cohesive website, but if your store doesn’t match, you’ll likely confuse your customers. Ensure that all branding, themes, and moods match across your store to help customers make the connection between your physical location and your website.

Fortunately, this doesn’t have to be an arduous or stressful process. If you work with commercial interior designers, they can help you design a retail business that reflects your overall branding and makes you proud to call it yours.

Become Social Media-Friendly

Social media has become a core part of our daily lives. Visit the average restaurant, and you’ll see no shortage of people snapping Instagram-worthy photos of their meals.

If you want people to interact with your physical store as much as your online one, make it social media-friendly. Install backdrops people can take photos of, create social media initiatives that encourage interaction with your online brand, and, where possible, incorporate social-style furniture that encourages people to engage with your retail store more than they typically would.

Get Interactive

Most retail stores already provide an element of interactivity. There are changing rooms to try on clothing and TVs set up with gaming consoles for you to experience them in all their glory.

However, you might like to take that interactivity one step further by incorporating much of what customers can expect when they visit your website. Provide QR codes for people to scan and learn more about your products, and set up interactive displays with videos and other helpful product information. You might even like to work with your interior designer to incorporate a dedicated area for hands-on fun.

Offer Click and Collect

The average store built decades ago was never made to house a click-and-collect service. However, adjusting your floor plan to carve out space for it might promote connectivity between your eCommerce store and physical business.

Click and collect involves a customer being able to select their preferred products and pay for them online before collecting them in person from the store to save shipping costs. In retail businesses, a simple service desk can sometimes be the only floor plan addition you need, but something more extensive and well thought out can be required for supermarkets and large chain outlets.

Encourage In-Store Website Engagement

It can sometimes be frustrating for customers to not find what they’re looking for in your shop, even though they know you usually stock what they’re looking for. Rather than lose a paying customer, consider incorporating interactive screens in your shop that allow them to look for what they came for online.

While they can make other purchases in your shop, they can also find any out-of-stock items on your website and organise delivery to their door to avoid missing out. This can be a particularly desirable feature for franchises and chains that share stock across multiple store locations.

Provide In-App Checkout Services

Renovating your retail business to work in harmony with your online business might not seem worth your while, but it allows you to get creative with new technology that can take your business to a whole new level.

For example, some businesses are now utilising in-app checkout, which allows them to shop in-store and skip the long lines at checkout counters by paying for their goods through the app. They can then show their digital receipt to employees at the exit.

Such a checkout system might also solve a common problem retail business owners encounter of slow checkout processes driven by ineffective layouts. However, alongside a new app, you might also look at addressing any layout issues impacting the customer experience. Commercial interior design experts can help you choose a new floor plan that allows you to maximise profits and promote positive customer service.

You might opt for a grid floor plan that most supermarkets use or a loop floor plan that guides customers along a set path. A diagonal floor plan is also often used by businesses with self-serve kiosks.

Transform Your Retail Business for the Future

Now more than ever, it’s important for a brick-and-mortar establishment to connect to its eCommerce store. If you’re unsure how to take the first step, now might be the right time to contact commercial interior design fit-out experts like Zhoosh to get the help you need.

FAQs

What is click and collect, and how can a store incorporate it into its layout?

Click and collect is a service that allows customers to purchase products online and collect them in-store, and a store can incorporate it into its layout by dedicating a space for pick-up and implementing a service desk.

What are some tips for making a physical store social media-friendly?

Some tips for making a physical store social media-friendly include creating a backdrop for photo opportunities, encouraging social media interaction, and incorporating social-style furniture.