What Customers Want From Brick-and-Mortar Businesses

Given how much people talk about eCommerce websites, you’d be forgiven for thinking that they’d pulled ahead of brick-and-mortar retail sales.

But brick-and-mortar businesses still rule the roost. And actually, it’s not even a real rivalry. Though eCommerce sales have risen considerably in recent years, they still only account for under 20% of all global retail sales, and it’ll be a long time (if it ever happens) before they get anywhere close to overtaking in-person purchases. 

Of course, that people still prefer shopping in “the real world” doesn’t mean that a brick-and-mortar business will automatically be successful. For that to happen, it must give consumers what they want. So what is that, exactly? Let’s take a look at a few elements that contribute to a favorable customer experience. 

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Convenient Location

You’ll have to offer something truly special for customers to go significantly out of their way to visit your store. As ever, location is key. If your store is located in an easily accessible, central location, then it’ll be as straightforward as possible for a potential customer to pop in and see what you have to offer. If it’s located out of the way, on the other hand, then the customer may not even know that you exist.

Friendly Opening Hours

It’s not just where the store is open that matters, but when. People have busy lives, and they’re unlikely to break their backs trying to fit around a store’s awkward opening hours. If the store offers strange hours, then they’ll just go elsewhere — or even look online. What counts as ‘friendly opening hours’ depends on the region in which it’s located. As a general rule, it’s best to follow the same opening hours as every other store in the area, though you can always offer extended hours if you really want to make a positive impression.

Inviting Spaces

Customers make judgments about the shops they visit from the first moment they walk through the door. If they have a positive impression, then they’ll be much more likely to become customers. If it’s a less-than-positive impression, then it’ll be no surprise if they leave without making a purchase. Putting together an inviting, well-designed space that caters to the customer’s needs can be challenging, but working with a commercial interior design firm can help. That’ll ensure your brick-and-mortar business is in line with what your customers expect. 

Easy Checkout Processes 

Finally, customers want smooth, straightforward processes from the stores they visit, especially when it comes to checkout. There’s nothing more frustrating than spending thirty minutes figuring out what you’re going to buy, only to then have to wait longer than necessary just to pay for the items. It’s recommended to periodically review your checkout processes and make sure that it’s in line with modern standards; for example, is your POS system speed and capable of accepting mobile payments? 

Conclusion

You can’t make people buy from your store, but you can certainly increase the chances — and putting together a space that your customers will love is one excellent way to do that.