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Online shopping is quick and easy – but 80% of customers say that physical stores are still essential. They’re looking for interaction, assistance and entertainment from your brand. So let’s take a look at how in-store experiential retail could transform your sales.
As online shopping started to take over the retail sector, a clear divide emerged: brick-and-mortar stores were for the conventional shopping experience, while online stores were for convenience. But with brick-and-mobile marketing, you no longer have to choose. Instead, you can offer experiential retail to your customers, combining online convenience and innovation with authentic, live interactions. Here are just a few ideas:
- Create themed or pop-up stores for holidays, seasons, and special events
- Speed up product search and payment
- Offer exclusive discounts for visitors to your store
- Create micro-communities for key products
- Collect and reward instant customer feedback
- Incentivize customers to share your store online
In this post, we’ll examine why customers love experiential retail, and how to implement brick-and-mobile marketing for your brand.
Why do customers love experiential retail?
Experiential retail is about letting your customers have it all. They want the convenience of online shopping, the excitement of new technology, and the authenticity of visiting your brand in person.
A full, 360-degree retail experience might include personal recommendations from your staff, AI-informed product offers through your app, and a streamlined process to collect online orders. (We’ll share some more specific examples later on.)
Experiential retail is also an opportunity to strengthen the relationship between your brand and your audience. When you create a multi-channel experience, you remind customers that they can find you anywhere: on their mobile, in-store, on social media, et cetera.
Finally – and most importantly – your customers are ready for experiential retail. Over 70% of customers already use their mobile phones in-store, and 60% have used and enjoyed AI product kiosks. In fact, 67% believe that retailers should make technology a priority. People expect a smart, dynamic retail experience. And you can’t afford to disappoint them.
How to increase sales with experiential retail in-store
So what does experiential retail actually look like? That depends on you, your brand, and your budget. Brick-and-mobile marketing can be as simple as sharing an in-store coupon. Or you can go big, with artificial intelligence, interactive tech, and special events.
Dress your store for holidays, seasons, and special events
Let’s start with a classic. Shopkeepers have dressed their windows with seasonal displays for as long as windows have existed. With modern technology, you can be more creative than ever before. In the 21st century, pop-up shops and internet references are a key part of the experience.
For example, the team behind Deadpool 2 decided to market the movie with a little experiential retail. They created a retro Blockbuster pop-up, in a nod to online nostalgia.
They added an element of competition for extra spice. Anyone with an original Blockbuster membership card (remember that blue and yellow plastic?) could get one of 1989 free copies. Or they could win by demonstrating their “superpower” to staff in-store. Given that this was a Deadpool promotion, we didn’t ask exactly what those superpowers were…
Festive or seasonal promotions are also popular. Decorations, music, themed activities and photo booths will draw customers into your store, and keep them entertained.
Here’s a simple example from a shopping centre. Each location in the mall decorated their windows for winter. Customers could stroll around, take a look, and then upload a photo of their favorite for the chance to win $500.
Finally, there’s the high-tech option. Integrate your shopping experience with apps or automatic scanners for a seamless experience.
Take this example from Good Housekeeping…
