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4 strategies to enhance the customer shopping experience in-store

Posted on by shopkick

“Strategy” refers to a high-level action plan designed to achieve one or more goals under conditions of uncertainty. There has been much uncertainty in brick-and-mortar retail these days, with customers shifting online and many longstanding retailers shuttering their doors for good in what the media has called a “retail apocalypse.” Yet, that doesn’t mean brands and retailers should throw up their hands in despair. Research suggests there is much value in shifting your focus to enhance the customer shopping experience in 2020.

What Is Customer Experience and Why Does It Matter in 2020?

Customer experience is your shoppers’ holistic perception of your brand. The in-store customer experience involves everything from helpful customer service representatives and short checkout wait times, to the type of music playing and aisle layout. 

Recent statistics reveal:

  • Companies earning $1 billion annually can expect an extra $700 million within three years of investing in customer experience.
  • Eighty-six percent of shoppers say they’re willing to “pay more” for a great customer experience—which translates to a price premium of 13% to 18%.
  • Personalized experiences have led 49% of buyers to make impulse purchases.

A Walker study estimates that customer experience will overtake price and product as the key brand differentiator by the end of 2020. So, really, it’s not a question of if you should invest in customer experience, but rather how.

4 Strategies to Enhance Customer Shopping Experience in 2020

You may consider a number of strategies to provide shoppers with a better in-store experience:

1. Reinvent Your Stores With Rotating Themes

Changing a store’s theme can be a headline-garnering way to create retail buzz. While most large department stores have given up their market shares to Walmart and Target, a few dominant players have stayed in the business by borrowing from the “pop-up shop” method of reinvention. For instance, Macy’s rolled out rotating STORY boutiques—“a retail concept that takes the point of view of a magazine, changes like a gallery, and sells things like a store.” Every six to eight weeks, the store design and inventory changes based on rotating themes like “Home for the Holidays” or “Beauty.” Bloomingdale’s takes a similar approach with rotating carousel pop-ups themed around culturally significant trends.

If you don’t have the budget to go all-out, your store “transformations” could be as simple as adding a few Instagram-worthy spaces. “These days, if consumers can’t Instagram a store, it’s almost not even worth going,” according to AdWeek. For instance, Morning Lavender Boutique and Café in Orange County, California created a breathtaking wall of flowers that invites shoppers to stop and snap a photo. Similarly, apparel retailer Showpo features a “social media nook”—a chic café set-up with a table, chairs, cakes, and tea accessories.

2. Turn Shopping at Your Store Into an Interactive Experience 

People appreciate stores because they’re physical places of trial, discovery, and interaction. Stores like Trader Joe’s and Target employ the “wow factor” of free samples and dynamic displays to thrill their loyal customers in new ways. Marshall’s went so far as to hide curated “surprise boxes” around their stores for lucky shoppers to discover and claim. Shopkick, a mobile shopping rewards app, offers an even easier way to create an interactive experience for shoppers. Shopkick users are enticed to visit partnering stores and seek out products in exchange for reward points they can use towards gift cards of their choosing. The app’s scavenger hunt-like gamification provides shoppers with a fun way to discover new products. 

3. Train Employees to Offer Excellent Customer Service

ways to enhance customer shopping experienceOnline shopping offers convenience, but it can’t yet deliver good, old-fashioned, face-to-face customer service. You can use this to your advantage by training your employees to interact with individual shoppers based on past purchase history. Employing data-capturing systems and arming employees with tablets allows for more personalized recommendations and truly helpful customer service. Reps can search inventory in real-time and tap into customer profiles to go over and beyond the competition. Better than Google is the store representative who knows the pros and cons of various products; which brands sell best; what will best meet certain needs; and where to find the precise items on the shopper’s list.

One example of this advanced form of customer service can be found at the flagship Birchbox store in NYC, where shoppers create beauty profiles for a curated selection of products tailored to their user profiles. The in-store focus on “try, learn, buy” is evident in salesperson interactions that guide shoppers through the engaging “build your own box” section of the store. In addition, Birchbox customers can book a manicure or blowout in the salon—making the store more of a destination than a stop.

4. Create a Community Gathering Space

Physical locations gather like-minded people—and all the better if these people decide they like buying from you. Nordstrom is one of the most frequently-cited examples of a retailer that truly understands the importance of “store-as-community-center.” They have dedicated 3,000 square feet of retail space to serving wine, beer, and espresso; personal stylist appointments; and on-site manicures and tailoring.

Consider a few other examples: Consumers can attend story hour with their little ones at Barnes and Noble or take a DIY woodworking class at Home Depot. Brooklyn-based leisure retailer Solfire installed a smoothie bar and fitness oasis that holds classes. At Weis Markets, the retailer doesn’t just sell food—it promotes healthy living; grocery shoppers can book a free tour with a dietician, attend a cooking demo, learn more at educational seminars, and participate in fun health fairs full of interactive games, giveaways, and food samples.

Leverage Shopkick to Aid in Customer Shopping Experience Enhancement

Shopkick offers an innovative platform that transforms the shopping experience for mobile-using customers. Upon entering a partnering retailer and opening the Shopkick app, users are greeted with the current deals and opportunities to earn rewards points. Over the course of their in-store experience, they are prompted to seek and scan select items and ideally make desired purchases while working toward a free gift card. Purina, one of Shopkick’s partners, was able to integrate digital messaging with physical product engagement down the aisles to increase incremental sales 85% and obtain 4:1 return on investment.   

Shopkick offers an innovative platform that transforms the shopping experience for mobile-using customers.  

Want to enhance the customer shopping experience? Read more success stories or contact Shopkick to learn how you can win hearts and minds as one of our partners.

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3 effective customer loyalty incentive programs used by brands and retailers

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3 effective customer loyalty incentive programs used by brands and retailers

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Customer loyalty incentive programs will allow brands and retailers to discover which customers are most profitable to their business so they can focus efforts on those most likely to spend (and spend a lot). We all know that it costs less to retain customers than to solicit new ones. By using loyalty programs to entice your customers to buy again, you create habits that drive brand affinity, referrals, and sustainable revenue.

Recognizing the value of customer loyalty incentive programs and effectively implementing them are two very different realities. Whether you’re new to the game or you’re not entirely satisfied with the results of your launched loyalty program, you’ll benefit from considering: What type of programs are most effective? And what lessons can we learn from the enterprises that maintain loyalty the best? There are two approaches working for brands and retailers today—brand- and retailer-specific apps like those from Starbucks and Target, and third-party retail rewards apps like Shopkick.

Examples of Effective Customer Loyalty Incentive Programs

Starbucks

If you have the resources, developing your own proprietary app from the ground-up may seem like a desirable option, as it allows you maximum control and creative direction. You decide what the app will look like and which features you’d like to include—such as in-app purchasing, gamification, or social media integration.

Starbucks is the most-used loyalty rewards app in the restaurant industry. The coffee chain’s internally-developed app has been an evolution over the course of a decade, but today’s offering is an accurate reflection of the convenience and conviviality for which Starbucks is known. Users are invited to place their orders and pay in advance to save time at the counter, create their own Spotify playlists, and automatically earn free food and drinks with every purchase. Starbucks fans receive personalized content and offers based on past purchase history. They can also share the love by sending electronic gift cards to their family and friends directly through the app.

Starbucks’ customer loyalty incentive program succeeds because it features:

A User-Friendly Design:

The Starbucks app is attractive with large photos and intuitive to navigate. Five top-of-the-screen menus provide access to basic functions: Pay, Stores, Gift, Order, and Music. You can gift Starbucks to your loved ones, see what music is playing in the restaurant, and receive personalized food suggestions from the order screen. On a practical level, you can locate the nearest Starbucks stores, pay with your phone, and add a tip for your favorite barista. Rather than turn the app into a “Swiss Army Knife” that does-everything (but nothing well), developers focused on a few core goals like streamlining orders, boosting foot traffic, and increasing lucrative gift card orders.

Easy, Engaging Loyalty:

The best loyalty programs are easy to understand, track, and use. For every dollar spent, you earn two stars. The more you spend, the more stars you earn. You receive free in-store refills, tailored exclusive offers, and a free birthday drink. Going one step further, Starbucks understands that gamification works to get people into a buying mood;  Starbucks reward members can complete entertaining “challenges” to earn extra points toward free food and beverages. The stars have a limited shelf life of one year for “Green” tier members and six months for “Gold” tier members, which encourages rewards holders to engage frequently.

Full Integration:

Since music has been a central part of the whole Starbucks “experience” since they first opened more than 40 years ago, their partnership with Spotify makes sense. In the earlier days, you could grab a CD with your latte or download a free digital song from an undiscovered artist. Today, app users can discover new songs playing as they wait in line, add the music to a Spotify playlist, or create a custom mix. A partnership with Lyft gives first-time riders extra stars toward a free drink. Integration with Alibaba lets users in China buy gift cards and branded merchandise through the popular shopping platform, as well as order Starbucks-to-go deliveries. Through the co-branded credit card arrangement with JP Morgan Chase, Starbucks lets users earn stars with purchases outside the chain. These integrations make Starbucks more central to people’s lives and part of their everyday consciousness.

Target

Target uses its proprietary app for rewards, payment, coupons, and credit. The retailer was confident enough in their vast, unique set of offerings to offer their own credit and debit cards available to use in their stores only.

It can be viewed as a gamble at a time when people are looking to simplify their wallets, not add to them, but for Target at least, the risk has translated to rewards.

Target has seen tremendous success in using proprietary apps in their customer loyalty incentive program. In today’s environment, it’s increasingly more important to offer unique products and experiences that differentiate the brand from competitors. Target is able to compete with other retailers like Kohl’s, Walmart, and even Amazon because it offers unique products like its brand Cat & Jack or celebrity-designed apparel available only in their stores.

This philosophy has spilled over into their approach to app development. The Target loyalty program starts with REDcard, which offers shoppers an immediate 5% off everything they buy, plus free two-day shipping for online purchases and perks like longer return times and exclusive gifts.

Taking it a step further, Target’s Cartwheel program helps users save anywhere from 5%-50% on products without paper coupons. Users select the custom offer they’d like to redeem and cashiers simply scan the unique digital barcode at checkout. Those who don’t shop with a smartphone can print the barcodes at home and have their deals scanned at the register. Reward customers especially love that they’re allowed to combine their Cartwheel offers with manufacturer’s coupons, Target coupons, Target REDcard benefits, and gift cards.

Other proprietary apps Target has developed are aimed at boosting personalization and convenience—two ingredients for a winning retail customer service formula. For instance, they have an app that allows designers in their pop-up shops to communicate in an “instant feedback loop” with guests, who voted on everything from the shape of collars and the fabrics to the colors and brands they preferred. The Target Pay app lets REDcard users use their Cartwheel deals and pay with a virtual wallet by scanning QR codes.

Shopkick

While many consumers love the individual apps of their favorite brand or retailer, they also love the convenience of all-in-one shopping provided by third-party apps like Amazon, Instacart, or Shopkick. Instead of competing with dozens of other apps, brands and retailers can be woven into a consumer’s routine through an app they already use daily.  By partnering with a third-party app, brands and retailers can expand their reach to tap a captive audience that is loyal to the art of shopping, actively engaged, and ready to buy.

Shopkick is one of the most-used customer loyalty rewards apps. The program works by providing “kicks” (rewards points) to shoppers for walking into stores, scanning select items, and making purchases. Users can redeem accrued kicks for gift cards of their choosing.

In many case studies, Shopkick partners saw two to three times the return-on-investment:

Bomb Pop

During a two-month summer campaign leading up to Independence Day, the red, white, and blue popsicle brand Bomb Pop wanted to drive awareness of the product through a branded lookbook and dynamic kick rewards for purchases made. Nearly half (44%) of shoppers first became aware of Bomb Pop through the Shopkick app, and 68% of buyers had not been planning to purchase Bomb Pops before visiting the store. With more than 23 million impressions, the awareness campaign was viewed as a huge success.

Barilla

Barilla sought to communicate the unique benefits of Pasta Pronto, a new innovative type of one-pan pasta that didn’t require boiling water or draining. They turned to the Shopkick app to educate with video, drive awareness in-store, incentivize product scans, and drive trials. More than half of the app users (66%) first became aware of Barilla’s Pasta Pronto from Shopkick engagement. Half the people who watched the video purchased the product. There was also a 68% lift in future intent to purchase.

Kellogg’s

Kellogg’s used Shopkick to engage shoppers shortly after the launch of Nutri-Grain Bakery Delights Crumb Cakes. The snack aisles can be a crowded, competitive place, but Kellogg’s enjoyed a 35% conversion rate, a 55% increased intent to purchase, and 5:1 ROI from their lookbook and reward offers. Best of all, 47% of the consumers who purchased the Nutri-Grain Bakery Delights Crumb Cakes during the campaign hadn’t purchased a Nutri-Grain product within the last 12 months. Truly the promotion inspired customers to give the brand another look, driving consideration, trial, and favor.

Even if you have a fully-functioning proprietary app, you can still become a partner to an effective customer loyalty incentive program like Shopkick. The trend of fusing mobile app use with retail shopping is only continuing to grow. People love a good deal, but with Shopkick, you don’t have to slash the price or dip into your own pockets to entice the consumer to give your products a shot. Shopkick connects brands and retailers with a new audience that is ready to learn, earn, and buy.
Shopkick is a rewards app that is wildly popular with consumers and the brands and retailers they frequent. Our partners use Shopkick to drive sales, steal market share, and produce incredible ROI. Contact us to get involved in 2020’s biggest shopping revolution.

Interactive mobile marketing: 3 tactics to turn browsers into buyers

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Interactive mobile marketing: 3 tactics to turn browsers into buyers

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Although online shopping and the BOPIS model remain strong, browsing in-store is far from a lost pastime. As a matter of fact, a survey conducted at the end of 2018 showed that a majority of retailers (63%) are seeing in-store shopping make a comeback. Another report that used data collected around the same time found that 60% percent of consumers still make in-store purchases weekly, and 90% do so monthly. The desire to see and try products before buying them was cited as the shoppers’ main motivation.

 

Thanks to online retailing, shoppers in brick-and-mortar stores are better informed and more demanding than ever. They may love the in-store shopping experience, but it can be enhanced by interactive mobile marketing to create greater engagement. There are several tactics that can help your store engage and convert those browsers.

How to Engage Consumers With Interactive Mobile Marketing

Personalization

Individual attention creates emotional attachment, even when it is delivered automatically. Personalization leads to customer retention and, according to research conducted by PwC, around a quarter of shoppers are willing to pay more—up to 16% in some cases—for a product specifically in response to personalization. PwC also found that, while 43% of U.S. consumers say they would not allow companies to collect their personal data, which is a necessary step for personalization, 63% say they would share data for the sake of a service they value.

Purchasing history, personal information provided by the customer and recorded browsing patterns are among the information sources for personalization. Human service is essential for a positive retail experience as well, but the human and the digital can work in tandem to create a fast and targeted experience. According to a Salesforce report issued in 2019, the use of AI for personalization in retail and consumer goods marketing is expected to grow to 70% over the next two years—a 176% increase.

Personalization uses a combination of familiar tactics and the latest technology to engage consumers. 

  • Targeting. As customers walk in the door with a shopping app turned on, they can be greeted by name and view product suggestions based on previous buying patterns.
  • Mapping. In large stores, customers can even be guided through the aisles to locate items of potential interest to them.
  • Events. Customers can receive invitations to special sales, product premiers, and appreciation events based on their shopping patterns.
  • Feedback. Giving customers an opportunity to leave feedback on items they purchase or read the feedback of others before making a purchase can enhance the shopping experience.
  • Chatbots. Using natural language, AI chatbots can engage customers on messaging services by providing product suggestions and information, customer service, and branded entertainment in a conversational format. Chatbots are available around the clock and can generally respond faster than human assistance. They can also be used to gather information about customers, simply by asking for it.

Augmented Reality

Augmented reality (AR) is fun, informative, and easy to deliver—it is technically simpler to produce than virtual reality, and it requires no user headset. Consumers can use their smartphones to enrich the shopping experience. Augmented reality technology is still relatively new, making it enticing and exciting to most consumers. Many of them may be familiar with apps like Ikea’s that superimpose the seller’s furniture onto a view of their living rooms, or ones that find ATMs, stores and restaurants on the street.

Inform the Shopper

Customers can scan a QR code to find out the backstories of unique products, see demos or take a deep dive into the specs and options for products that interest them. The app might check the store’s stock for availability, sizes and colors as well, and even suggest alternatives until the shopper finds the item that suits them just right.

Try Products Out Virtually

Sephora makes even more extensive use of AR, allowing users to see what certain makeup products would look like on. A shopper looking for clothes might use AR to see a 360° view of garment on a model or combined with other garments. In a kitchenware store, a shopper might watch a demo of the countertop appliance on the shelf in front of them. 

Take Time, Save Labor

AR creates a rich, customized experience for shoppers, who can take in as much or as little information as they please, and work their way through alternatives of their choosing at their own pace. Only at the end of the experience, when the shopper has made their purchasing decision, does a salesperson need to become involved. Thus, the customer gets to enjoy the benefits of modern technology and the human touch too. 

Rewarding Loyalty

There are a number of ways to reward loyalty with interactive mobile marketing, and they are often among the most effective measures for retailers. Fifty-eight percent of shoppers visit stores where they are members of a loyalty program at least once a month—and 69% say their choice of retailer is influenced by loyalty programs.

These are some of the most widespread and popular tactics found in retail marketing.
 

  • Loyalty Rewards Programs. Many loyalty programs are available via a mobile app. In Shopkick’s case, shoppers can earn rewards for using the app when visiting a store and interacting with products at-shelf.
  • Proximity marketing. Beacon technology can be combined with Wi-Fi or Bluetooth to guide shoppers to sale items. According to Beaconstat, 75% of U.S. retailers already use it, and its popularity is still growing. Shopkick worked with early adopters T.J. Maxx and Best Buy.

Interactive mobile marketing combines familiar tactics like rewards points and events with the latest digital technology to generate excitement and help shoppers make purchasing decisions. It presents ample opportunities to increase engagement among shoppers in your store and turn browsers into buyers. Using these tactics will create a satisfying shopping experience that is met with appreciation and positive response from your customers.

Shopkick is a rewards app that is wildly popular with millennials and the brands and retailers they frequent. Our partners use Shopkick to drive sales, steal market share, and produce incredible ROI. Contact us to get involved in 2020’s biggest shopping revolution.

How to increase sales in grocery stores when CPG eCommerce is on the rise

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We don’t have to tell you twice, but running a brick-and-mortar grocery store can be costly. Naturally, you want to maximize your returns when you’re shelling out around $160,000 just on inventory. In some ways, you’re competing against local competitors, but you’re increasingly competing against eCommerce players as well.

The share of US consumers who purchased groceries online in the past year jumped from less than a quarter to more than a third, with Amazon and Walmart driving sales. Nearly 40% of those surveyed said they plan to shop for groceries online in the next 12 months, but there is growth potential in the 21% who “don’t know” if they will buy online. This may leave retailers wondering how to increase sales in their grocery stores. 

Is CPG eCommerce a Threat to Grocery Store Sales?

Despite the surges and impressive forecasts, the reality today is that only 2.7% of the $743 billion CPG market gets purchased online, up from 2.2% in 2018. Even if it reaches the estimated 8% share of US grocery sales by 2022, it’s still a relatively small amount of sales—something to consider, but certainly not a “threat” to physical supermarkets by any stretch of the imagination.

Online grocery shoppers tend to make infrequent purchases and buy in smaller amounts, according to research. Just 11.8% of online shoppers bought “most” or “all” of their groceries that way, so you can feel confident that eCommerce will not fully replace brick-and-mortar grocery stores. A recent report found that 71% of shoppers surveyed spent $50 or more shopping in-store, compared to just 54% of shoppers who spent that much online.  

With that said, it’s a wise move to brace yourself for the uptick in eCommerce shopping by creating an online presence and linking up with a service provider like Instacart or Shipt to cater to those consumers who purchase online. Analysts believe that physical supermarkets will serve as the anchor for inventory fulfillment for customers ordering online, rather than a separate entity competing with online providers. Using mobile apps like Shopkick will bridge the gap between digital and in-store experiences, providing crucial information at the purchase point and rewarding shoppers for their loyalty.

How to Increase Sales in Grocery Store Environments

1. Give them retail therapy.

Remember what draws customers to physical stores. Sometimes it’s not even the products or the convenience so much as it’s the visceral experience that provides a way to de-stress from a long day or week of work—“retail therapy,” as it’s called. Nearly three-quarters of consumers admit to stress-shopping. Consider ways of redesigning or augmenting your space to make the trip more interesting and fun such as curated music, enhanced lighting, digital displays, interactive kiosks, and perks like a free drink or bite of food while shopping to improve your aesthetic.

2. Add trending items and departments to your inventory.

Grocery store growth has largely been fueled by the rise of organic and healthy options, specialty items, and innovations like meal kits and ready-to-go prepared foods. Supermarket departments are rapidly expanding to become more of the one-stop-shops people have come to expect—new sections like high-end bakeries and gourmet cheese shops, in-store bars and wine shops, larger beauty sections and sushi bars, Starbucks counters, and full-service banks.      

3. Offer in-store promotions and deals.

In one survey, 84% of shoppers admitted that they go into the store for a need, but end up walking away with an impulse buy want due to an attractive promotion or deal. Online retailers often entice shoppers with free shipping offers and deep discounts, but you can do the same in-store.

4. Reconsider shelf space, shifting unique items to eCommerce operations.

learn how to increase sales in grocery storeThe internet is routinely turned to for “that one product you can’t get anywhere else.” More and more, retailers are relying on analytics to gain insight into consumer preferences. Start with a large selection and let consumers decide what you should or shouldn’t carry in-store. Be sure to have your best-selling eCommerce items available on shelves as well. Use online sales data to update, reposition, or replace low-selling SKUs in both physical and online shops. If a particular flavor isn’t selling well in-store, make it exclusive to your online store. Often, the highest productivity comes from a rotating selection of new and niche products that keeps the shopping experience fresh and exhilarating.      

5. Bridge the online/offline gap with the integration of mobile applications.

Leading grocers and CPG companies understand that digital media must be part of the shopping trip planning process, according to research by Deloitte. A completely integrated digital strategy recognizes that shoppers use their mobile phones to find stores, make lists, check prices, research products, compare products, share content, and purchase. Offering an in-house app or partnering with a third-party mobile shopping app can enhance in-store product interactions and deepen the brand conversation, saving shoppers time, money, and hassle. 

Kraft rewarded Shopkick app users who purchased baker’s chocolate, pudding, and marshmallows for the holiday baking season with “kicks,” which they could then put towards a free gift card of their choosing. Through Shopkick, Kraft was able to engage with shoppers along the full path to purchase, whether they were on their mobile devices at home, or in-store at the shelf. More than a quarter of shoppers converted to purchase all three items. Fifty percent of the Shopkickers said they hadn’t planned on buying any of those items when they first walked into the store. Overall, Kraft’s campaign garnered greater than 7:1 return on investment.

Find Out How to Increase Sales in Your Grocery Store With Shopkick

Digital is here to stay, but brick-and-mortar grocery stores aren’t falling by the wayside. Price, quality, convenience, and selection will always be the key drivers, no matter which shopping channel a person uses. A partnership with Shopkick lets you add value and enhance the in-store shopping experience while also rewarding and encouraging customer loyalty.    

Digital is here to stay, but brick-and-mortar grocery stores aren’t falling by the wayside.

Looking for more information on modern tools that boost CPG sales in grocery stores? Read our partners’ success stories or contact us to learn how to appeal to mobile shoppers with Shopkick.

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How retailers can leverage millennial buying power to boost sales in 2020

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How retailers can leverage millennial buying power to boost sales in 2020

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According to the most recent data, over 72 million millennials currently live in the United States. These adults, who will be turning 24-38 in 2020, have a colossal influence on retail and the U.S. economy as a whole. Accenture estimates that millennials will make up 30% of total retail sales in 2020 with a total purchasing power of over $1.4 trillion. Alongside their younger cohorts in Gen Z, this powerful generation is actively shaping the way we view the brand-consumer relationship and influencing major changes in the marketing, sales, and retention strategies of major retailers nationwide. 

Retailers have realized that our youngest generations are looking for a totally new way to shop—and they have the power to vote with their dollars and make their voices heard. As a result, the following strategies have emerged as promising ways to harness Gen Z and millennial buying power and boost sales in 2020 and beyond. 

Ways to Leverage Millennial Buying Power to Boost Sales

Cash In on Convenience

More than any other generation, millennials expect a shopping experience based on convenience. This generation grew up with Amazon and Netflix, and have grown to expect instant gratification from the retailers they frequent. Forty percent of millennials are parents—young parents—who don’t have time to waste on lengthy errands. A buy-online-pickup-in-store strategy is one of the best ways to optimize for speed and convenience in the era of overnight shipping.

A smooth omnichannel retail experience is crucial for all consumers, but especially millennials. Sixty-eight percent of them expect a seamless and integrated retail experience no matter what channel they happen to be using. And when 54% of their non-grocery purchases are made online, millennials leave retailers wondering how to increase foot traffic in brick-and-mortar stores. “Buy online pickup in store” is the answer. If you’re not already using BOPIS, or are looking for ways to increase your success with this crossover strategy, consider the following tips: 

  • Prioritize website speed above all else. Consumers still use computers to online shop—but many individual retailers’ sites are slow to load and cumbersome to navigate. Clean up the back end of your website and streamline your sitemap so visitors can find what they need and load every page more quickly. This will also do wonders for your SEO and SERP presence.
  • Optimize UX for all mobile interactions. Make sure that your website isn’t just mobile-responsive, but mobile-first. Improve UX for your proprietary branded app. And make sure that all direct-to-purchase pathways from Instagram or Facebook are clean and lightning-fast. If you make your customers wade through a clunky UX, you might lose them.
  • Make the in-store experience fast and easy. BOPIS best practices dictate putting the pick-up station right up front in a prominent and immediately-accessible part of the store. Streamline logistics so that orders are ready at the time you say they will be, and shoot for same-day order fulfillment (or three hours, if you can make it). 
  • Provide real-time product availability. Surprisingly, 89% of millennials say that their choice of retail stores would be influenced by having access to real-time product availability data. When your bottom-of-the-funnel customer has the option of visiting your store or one of your local competitors, this could be the differentiating factor for you getting that sale. 

Invest Wisely in Social Media

Millennials spend an incredible amount of online time on social media platforms, so brands immediately want to establish a presence there. That much is obvious. However, certain social media strategies work better than others, especially for retailers in the CPG sector. Below we discuss how to optimize three intersecting aspects of your social media strategy: ads, influencers, and your own accounts.

Social Media Ads

Sixty-three percent of U.S. millennials use ad blockers when browsing and shopping online—and for good reason. Display and pop-up ads are intrusive and obnoxious to many, especially those who spend a lot of their free time online. In-app video ads on Facebook and Instagram stories (and streaming platforms like YouTube) tend to appear less annoying, as do in-feed image-based ads. By choosing wisely and investing in retargeting, you can use social media ads without alienating your audience. 

Influencer Marketing

Seventy-four percent of millennials report that their shopping is influenced by social media, and this could be attributed to the diligent work of influencers. Retailers have a lot to gain from partnering with micro-influencers, in particular in 2020, to deliver targeted content to their most valuable customers. Smaller content creators are most likely to appreciate the support from a large brand, and to agree to publish sponsored content on a regular basis. Building out a wide base of many micro-influencers will often perform better than one star contract.

Adding Value

In general, most millennials don’t follow brands on social media—unless, of course, they’re looking for deals. Instead of bolstering your proprietary social media accounts with a steady flow of content for sale, try adding value in other ways. Reward followers for opting into your messaging. Your social media fans are the perfect audience for an occasional holiday promo code or flash sale. They’ll be the most likely to develop into brand advocates who will share your content far and wide. By making your page more than a catalog, you’ll make a bigger impact. 

Reward Customer Loyalty

Believe it or not, research shows that millennials are more likely to respond to loyalty rewards and stay loyal to a retailer than any other generation of shoppers. Perhaps that’s because they align more closely with a brand’s values and consider their loyalty a small part of who they are as a person. Regardless, this loyalty should be cultivated and rewarded through innovative solutions.

Your company likely already has a proprietary app with a rewards program built in. You might also be running an email-based rewards program. But 58% of millennials make separate email accounts to house all of their brand communications—which essentially means these messages are falling on deaf ears. Millennials don’t want to be bombarded by branded content. But they do want to be engaged with personalized, targeted content that’s relevant to them. Innovative shopping solutions like Shopkick are helping bridge that gap and encourage the loyalty that younger generations are happy to give. 

Shopkick is an innovative rewards app that turns everyday errands into rewarding scavenger hunts. Users are rewarded by viewing in-app content (including video ads), entering retail locations, and even picking up items and scanning their barcodes. It’s quite a simple premise, really. When your best bottom-of-the-funnel customer is standing in front of your display with your product in hand, watching a compelling video ad to completion, they’re far more likely to place that item in their cart. 

Brands like Kraft, Kellogg’s, Purina, and Rimmel-London have partnered with Shopkick to reward customer loyalty and drive sales in retail locations like Target, Sam’s Club, and Walmart across the United States. If you’re looking for a powerful new way to leverage millennial buying power, this could be your chance. 

Shopkick is a rewards app that is wildly popular with millennials and the brands and retailers they frequent. Our partners use Shopkick to drive sales, steal market share, and produce incredible ROI. Contact us to get involved in 2020’s biggest shopping revolution.