With more consumers on the go, the need for convenient shopping remains important. The in-store shopping experience is critical to retain traffic and grow baskets. Here are lessons we’ve learned on what shoppers are looking for at their local convenience store.
1. Outdoor signage can play a role in driving traffic and sales. Exterior signage and window displays add curb-side appeal to your store. In fact, 76 percent of shoppers indicate they entered a store they never visited before simply based on its signage. Doing a good job here can help convert foot traffic into store traffic.
2. Get consumers in and out quickly. Shoppers’ need for speed remains, with 47 percent saying they prefer to get in and out quickly. The average shopping time in store is now about 2 minutes, down 15 seconds compared with a year ago. Store layout and aisle flow help influence shopping behavior, and when done right, are key to a store’s prosperity.
3. Ensuring a clean store paves the way for easy shopping experience. Frictionless shopping isn’t just about speed at checkout, but also the ease of navigation throughout the store. Consumer expectations are changing, with more placing emphasis on a store’s atmosphere, organized shelves, clear pricing information, tidy displays and clean aisles.
4. Ensure product offerings reflect the needs of modern shoppers. Shoppers increasingly value flexibility, and they’re shifting to a ‘little and often’ mentality where they’re more-often buying products for immediate or same-day consumption. We know table-stake items, such as tobacco and dispensed beverages, are critical for store frequency. Yet, more retailers are expanding grab-and-go sections as part of their strategy to grow baskets.
5. Consider role of technology-based loyalty programs for your store. Convenience, location and price are the three traditional value propositions for convenience stores. Today, there’s a fourth: loyalty programs. Some 87 percent of shoppers say they want loyalty programs, and 44 percent of them say they choose a convenience store because of its loyalty program. This shift toward loyalty programs reflects a new mindset among consumers in how they think about convenience stores and how personalized offers and promotions gets them back in the store more often.
Article Credits: Rob Roy
See full article here: https://csnews.com/maximize-store-shopping-experience-drive-traffic-and-grow-basket-ring