August 2017

In-store sales VS online sales

Mobile strategy

E-commerce? Yes but it is not enough

Looking at the data coming from the Osservatorio eCommerce B2c Netcomm of Politecnico Milan it is clear that in 2016 the e-commerce has grown up of 18%, and of 20% this year, in Italy the e-shoppers has doubled their presence from 9 to 18 million. The number of users buying online is growing, that’s why material stores has to challenge the online competitors.

Buying online is really convenient. There are no limits about days or hours, there are no day off and moreover you can do it from the couch in your living room just using your smartphone.

The online sales has a weak spot, the customer doesn’t have the chance to touch and try the goods before the purchase, he can only trust the seller description and it’s hard to build a trust with a certain brand.

Besides not every customers is inclined in buying online and completely trusting internet for his purchase decisions. It’s clear that trusting just one or the other way of sales is deeply restrictive, in any case you will lose part of the potential customers.

What can the physical retailer do to face the competition of the e-commerce?

In-store sales activity is facing a period of crisis, it needs to put itself as concrete alternative, making strategy to bring the customers to buy inside his store rather than online because it is different, special and better.

The great advantage of the in store sales has to be used to take advantage of that: the relationship customer and sales personnel. Choosing to get inside a shop, a customer has to be sure to be payed back because of his trust. He wants to receive a service impossible to receive buying online.

The real difference is in quality of the service provided. The customer service available to the customer has to be punctual and precise, it has to convince the customer that the best choice is the one to go shopping. The quality of the service offered makes the difference. The customer service has to be punctual, it has to convince the customer that walks inside a shop that is the best decision for his purchase. The retailer is forced to pay back the trust with an impeccable service. But this is not just about the accuracy of the sales assistance of the staff, it is about the ability of the retailer to take advantage from the technology.

What can NearIT offer?

NearIT, the contextual mobile engagement platform, is the solution to fill the lack of the online sales strengthening and the one in-store, it is the technology solution to combine the potentiality of the online and the value of the in store sales process.

Thanks to NearIT the retailer will be able to reach his users, potential clients, through his mobile App, when they are close to his stores, engaging them with contextual and personalized contents, based on their tastes and their purchase habits.

This aspect is a real advantage in terms of quality. The chance to trace the purchase habits of your customers, to send offers in a certain moment of the day, and when the walk inside a geofence or beacon area close to your shop is uncomparable efficient. The user will appreciate the efficiency of a retailer able to offer him what he wants, or what he needs when he has the opportunity to walk inside a store to touch it and try it.

NearIT offers you to make a recipe using the information shared by the users with the app in order to target him better. For instance if you know which items has the customer saved in the wish list, you can offer him a coupon to buy them. NearIT is the solution to combine the traditional selling activity with the technology innovation.

Do you want to know more about NearIT solution to match online and in-store sales?