I ventured this past week to the high street in my city to do a bit of spring browsing. From spending so much time at home, my essentials list has changed. I found myself looking for handy baking tools and more comfortable lounge wear.
Shopping has always been therapeutic for me, even if I left the experience with my bank balance intact. It massages my imagination with and new and endless possibilities. I knew that this new mask wearing experience was going to be different. It would involve controlled entrance numbers to ensure social distancing, alert greeting staff that are prompt to tell you to put your mask on or requesting to see your store entrance card. Like many, I strongly agree with all these preventative measures, but I would be lying if I didn’t say it was sucking the joy out my favourite activity, and if anything, making it even slightly difficult.
Shopping in store has been losing its momentum over the years for several reasons. While this is partly due to competitive pricing from online retailers, consumers have become more demanding and impatient. For many, with the simple click of a button, a world of choice is available to us. This is a critical game-changing factor. Brick and mortars, however, offer something that COVID-19 has deprived us all of, and that is experience. Conversations with our friends in the dressing room over how something fits, and the possibility to smell new fragrances and touch fabrics, are attributes that online shopping will always lack.
With most stores operating with reduced staff and employees who are even a bit hesitant to tend to your requests for the sake of your health and their own, this period also represents a critical time for the retail sector to capitalize on the fact many consumers are searching for normalcy in things and places that once brought them happiness and comfort.
Certainly, stores have suffered massive losses in business due to full and partial lockdowns and gathering restrictions, so this is the time to solidify relationships with customers and potential customers.
Online presence
With many people choosing to leave home as little as possible, more consumers will want to have updates as to what you may have in stock, prices, and sizes before venturing out. This is not a time to be sloppy with digital social media responses. If anything, it is time to increase presence and personalize your service.
Corporate social responsibility
The financial implications of this pandemic will mean most people will have less disposable income and though many may want to help, they will face challenges doing so. Therefore, it would be nice if the businesses they are supporting are doing do. If the possibility exists it would good to donate part of their proceeds to those vulnerable and affected by COVID-19 and frontline workers perhaps. Remember it is not the size of the donation but the thought.
Safe place
Consumers want to know they are being cared for in your place of business. Even though it has been months since this pandemic has taken hold it is still easy to forget things like hand sanitizers and masks at home. Installing wash basins and standing hand sanitizing machines at the entrance if possible, may be handy and may take some of the stress off patrons. Here masks are literally everywhere. It is hard to believe that a few weeks ago they were scarce, like flour. Handing masks out to patrons who might have forgotten theirs could also be a good idea.
Now more than ever people are looking for connection and compassion as these are trying times. Of course, not every business will be able to undertake such strategies. The key, however, is always to ensure the consumer doesn’t feel even more isolated when patronising your establishment.
