In this digital era, there are still benefits of operating a brick-and-mortar location. Either on its own, as part of a chain of stores, or as a complement to your e-Commerce business, a brick-and-mortar location has its advantages. Despite what it may seem like, a lot of business still happens in physical locations and stores. Read on to find out the benefits of a brick-and-mortar in the 21st century and to learn how you can modernize your retail store marketing strategy.
Benefits of a Brick & Mortar in the 21st Century
More Customer Service Points
In the 21st century, brick-and-mortar stores offer a distinct advantage by providing more customer service points. With multiple ways and places to interact with and serve customers, this approach significantly improves the overall customer experience. By establishing physical locations, businesses can build trust and credibility with their clientele.
A prime example of this is Amazon, a major online retailer that recognised the advantages of brick-and-mortar stores in strengthening customer relations. These physical touchpoints not only enhance customer loyalty but also provide additional avenues for sharing messages and marketing the brand. With more customer service points, businesses can engage with customers, address their concerns, and foster stronger relationships – which is not possible with an e-commerce-only operation.
Lower Return Rate
Another advantage of a brick-and-mortar is the lower return rate. Unlike online shopping, customers have the opportunity to touch, inspect, test, and experience products and their features in-store before purchasing. This hands-on interaction greatly reduces the likelihood of returns. In fact, studies have shown that in-store return rates average around 8.9%, while online stores have return rates as high as 30%.
Ultimately, this leads to cost savings and streamlined operations. Plus, the ability for customers to engage with products in person fosters a sense of confidence in their purchase decisions and enhances the overall shopping experience.
Sustainability
One often overlooked benefit of having a brick-and-mortar location is its positive impact on sustainability. By operating a physical store, businesses can reduce their environmental footprint by minimising the need to ship products to individual addresses all over the world. Instead of multiple shipments to various locations, physical stores can consolidate deliveries and ship directly to a single location. This streamlined approach to distribution significantly reduces packaging materials, transportation emissions, and overall energy consumption associated with shipping.
Products being in one location also enables businesses to implement more sustainable practices, such as optimizing logistics and using eco-friendly packaging. As a result, brick-and-mortar establishments contribute to a greener and more sustainable retail ecosystem.
Safety
In an era where online shopping scams are a growing concern, brick-and-mortar stores offer enhanced safety. Statistics reveal that many consumers are concerned about the safety of online shopping compared to the reliability of brick-and-mortar retail. In Canada, 26% of the population believes that online shopping is less safe, while 13% of United States citizens share the same sentiment.
A physical store provides a more personal shopping experience, allowing customers to interact with products and staff. This in-person interaction reduces concerns about fraudulent activities and makes many people feel safer. By choosing to shop in brick-and-mortar establishments, consumers can have peace of mind, knowing they are engaging in a secure retail environment that prioritizes their safety.
Modernize Your Marketing: Adaptations for Brick-and-Mortar Stores
By combining the clear advantages of brick-and-mortar retail with key elements of the digital experience, retailers have the opportunity to provide consumers with an unparalleled shopping experience that exceeds what online sites alone can offer. Unlike online platforms, physical stores can offer hands-on experiences that are often impossible to replicate digitally.
Yet, research shows that digital touch points significantly influence the initial consideration phase of the consumer decision journey, even for shoppers buying clothes. Therefore, by leveraging the strengths of offline retail and incorporating digital components, retailers can improve sales, increase conversion rates, and improve inventory management.
Olivan: Modern Retail Marketing
It’s clear that a brick-and-mortar is still relevant and worth it in the 21st century. But, the most robust strategy might be to have both an online presence or e-commerce store as well as a physical store. You could also consider allowing pick-up or delivery from your brick-and-mortar.
These days, you must take an omni-channel approach to marketing. Your retail store marketing needs to complement your online marketing to deliver a consistent and cohesive message. If you want to find out how you can modernise your retail store marketing, improve your digital presence, and better manage your inventory, get in touch with us. We’re Canada’s one-stop shop for all things related to marketing, promotions, inventory management, and more.
We’ll help you bring your retail business into the 21st century!
Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and LinkedIn for more tips and information.