After the sharp shift towards eCommerce during the pandemic, growth rates for online sales were astronomical. However, now that stores have reopened, shoppers have also returned to the familiarity of in-person shopping and one would think that we are once again back to the traditional ways of shopping in-store. However, that isn’t to say customers are willing to go back to shopping as it was before online sales dominated the retail industry. Linnworks' the effortless economy reports that 76% of consumers say convenience is their priority when making a purchase.

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After experiencing the conveniences of online shopping, consumers no longer have the same patience to wait in long lines to the cashier or may not get the same value for money from the traditional shopping experience. After all, they’ve spent at least two years entirely dependent on online shopping alone. The eCommerce experience has conditioned them to think that they can get what they want, when they want - and why shouldn't they?

However, with the emergence of in-person shopping once again, online sales have also dwindled. Sound like mixed signals? Not quite. The answer is simple. Retail stores need to take notice of the latest technology to ensure in-person traffic continues long after the current boom. Shoppers have evolved, and so should the retail industry. A shift to a hybrid experience is exactly what will get customers to continue shopping in-store even after the hype has died down.

With In-Store Commerce, merchants can get ahead of their customers and target pain points that will hinder them from returning to in-person shopping. What exactly is In-Store Commerce? It’s as simple as letting customers make a purchase, redeem promos, get access to limited collections, and more - with a simple scan of a QR code. Think of it as a hybrid retail solution that will bring the best of both worlds to your patrons: the convenience and value for money from online shopping as well as the familiarity of in-person shopping. It also allows customers to actually touch, feel, smell your products while also saving time and money by letting them order it online. Other countries have picked it up, soon, the Philippines will too. Cashless payments used to be a novelty but now you’re sure to find QR codes for GCash, Maya, and the like in most stores. Just like that, it’s only a matter of time until the country follows suit.

                                           In-Store Commerce is booming in Bangkok. Soon, the Philippines' retail industry will be all about hybrid shopping as well.

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Now, what friction points will the experiential shopping process solve?

Long lines

The usual customer journey for an online shopper consists of two things to make it work: a website and a decent internet connection. It is not as simple for an in-person shopper. Your customers will have to brave our notoriously heavy traffic, get lucky to find a good parking slot, search manually through your display to find what they’re searching for, and then head to long lines that may convince them to give up on the purchase altogether. Give customers the option to browse through your products online, pre-order their selected items, and pick it up in-store when they’re ready. If they’re already shopping in-person, they can also simply Scan-to-Order once they find the item they want in order to save time and skip the queue.

Paying full price

Shopping online definitely has its perks. One of which is the availability of vouchers, promos, and coupon codes. Big e-tailers have taken the world by storm by offering a massive range of products at reasonable prices. On top of that, eCommerce has made the bargain shopping experience even more enjoyable by constantly introducing promo codes and vouchers to thrifty shoppers. If what's stopping your customers from shopping in-store is the perceived loss of discounts and promos, then give them a chance to score some great deals in-store too. Let shoppers use In-App Commerce to Scan-to-Redeem exclusive promos and special offers.

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FOMO

Is the fear of missing out what drives your customers? Unlike religiously browsing through a website or marketplace app, shoppers can’t physically visit your store everyday for new releases. If your customers are the type to hit constant refresh for new collections or items, you can give them a chance to get a sneak peek at collections early with the Scan-to-Get-Exclusives use case. You can also make your VIPs feel extra important by giving them access to their very own special collections.

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Now, what’s in it for you, the merchant?

Aside from providing your shoppers with an innovative new shopping solution that lets them seamlessly make a purchase online for pick-up in-store, you also get to learn more about your customers and get access to important data points when they shop via In-Store Commerce. You’ll be able to access this and more in your very own ChatGenie Dashboard.

Be one of the first to provide your customers with the shopping solution of the future. Learn more about ChatGenie In-Store Commerce and message us at chat@chatgenie.ph now!

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