Amazon is making it tough for Small Retailers. Here are some tips and tricks for beating Amazon with great offers and signs that help you increase your retail sales.
Yes, we all know Amazon is making it hard on local retail shops and businesses. Even as a sign company, we feel Amazon in our back pocket with certain products like Flags and A-Frame Signs. It used to be no issue for us, but now sign companies even sell their product through Amazon at cut-throat pricing that makes it impossible to compete on price alone.
How can you increase your retail store sales and beat Amazon at their own game?
Here are some tips and tricks for brick and mortar stores and small retailers to grab a bigger share of your market. Any type of retailer can benefit from some or all of these tips.
Buy Online and Pickup In Store Offers – Make shopping easy for your customers. Have a great website for Online Shopping and offer free pickup in store. The large box retailers are doing it and you can too. There are many Website Building software applications available to help you easily get your products up on your site and get selling.
TIP: Dedicate a pickup area in your store and make sure you have customer’s orders ready to pickup when they arrive. You can even offer drive up service like many restaurants do. The easier you make if for customers to buy, the more likely they chose you over Amazon. This can even work for convenience stores. Busy moms and dads with kids in the car would appreciate being able to pull in, have their milk, bread, snacks and drinks loaded up in their car and keep moving! An online app for every day items would prove enticing to many busy consumers.
Mark a Dedicated Pickup Spot in your parking lot easily accessible by your staff. Make your signs easy to understand so customers know exactly where to go both in and outside the store for pickup. Parking Lot Signs are a great and inexpensive way to help people get where they need to be.
Same Day Delivery Service – If your store is in rural or even downtown area, Same Day Delivery would be a great option. Many elderly people can’t get out to the store to pickup items they need. Others are just to busy. You can beat Amazon’s two day delivery service with Same Day Delivery service. You can charge a nominal fee for the service, generating additional revenues.
TIP: Same Day Delivery is perfect during busy holiday seasons, or in winter weather when people just don’t want to go out to shop.
Vehicle Lettering is a must have for Delivery vehicles. Both to identify to the customer that you are who you are and to advertise. Make a point of putting your website in big letters and advertise Same Day Delivery Available.
Satisfy the Immediate Consumer Need – Most people won’t wait two days for a new tube of toothpaste if their toothpaste is gone. Brick and mortar stores of the convenience to immediately satisfy a want or need. Let customers know that you are there for them when they have a need. Many people shop online for convenience and to avoid the store, but when you need it you need it!
TIP: Let them know the popular brands and products you offer, or if you have specialized products such as organic or vegan. Many customers are looking for the latest and greatest health brands or specialty products and shop on Amazon to find them. Find these brands and stock them in your store.
Advertise using A-Frames or Sidewalk signs. Place a Banner on your store with your hours and let people know you are Open for business with an open sign.
One Stop Shopping – Make it easier for your customers to get everything they need in one place. If your hardware store has a lot of families shopping on the weekend add products such as play sand, sandboxes, yard games and other items that your customer might need. Snacks and drinks at the checkout area are always a good seller for customers running in to pick up items for a job or project they are working on. Get creative and bring in products outside of your store’s normal line that can increase impulse purchases.
Reduce the Need to Return Products – I can’t say how many times I’ve bought online and then had to go to the trouble of returning an item. Not only are you out the money until the return is processed, but it’s frustrating to wait for a product only to find it wasn’t the right size, color or item you needed. Brick and Mortar stores offer the ability to see, touch and measure a product. Knowing you made the right purchase the first time reduces frustration and increases satisfaction.
Offer Personal Shopping – Busy parents juggling kids and working at home may welcome the offer to help them shop for a gift or item they need. This is a great service to offer your clients. Use Zoom or Facetime to show your client some options and make their life simple while increasing sales.
Events that Showcase Your Product – Do you have some new products or product lines? A sidewalk event outdoors may capture attention. Great signs showcasing your product announcement will attract potential buyers and increase interest.
Create Displays of Items That Work Together – Group Items Together that would entice additional purchases. I was taught in my two years working at McDonalds to always upsell. Always ask if, “You want some fries with that shake?”. You can do this as a retailer by grouping items together in attractive displays to encourage buying. For example flowers with candles, wine glasses and fun bottle openers with your wine selections, gift wrap and cards to go with a possible gift such as wedding, shower, birthday wraps. Storage containers next to kids toys. Use your creativity to spark the customer’s interest. You have their attention, get them to buy more. Special offers like Buy One Get One Half Off are not available on Amazon. Use these to get more sales.
Attractive Easel Signs, Banners and well placed Wayfinding Signs can help you get your customers to the products you want to sell. Make sure your signs are professional made and easy to read.
“Touchy Feely” is important on many products such as clothing, rugs, bedding. There’s nothing worse than waiting 2-3 days for a product only to find it’s uncomfortable, itchy, or the color wasn’t as shown in the ad. See before you spend is one of the best benefits of brick and mortar stores. Let customers know you have what they need in stock and ready to go!
Both you and the consumer win when you can increase sales in your brick and mortar store.
It’s a Win-Win for You and The Customer When You Let Them Know How You Can Help Them. Small specialty retailers, convenience stores, and personal service businesses can make life easier for the consumer by providing products they need when they need them. Using the Tips and Tricks above will help you attract more customers and increase your sales. Experiment with one or more of these tips and see what results. Feel free to comment on this blog and let us know how it worked out.
Need some help with design or ideas? Express Sign & Graphics is ready to help. Our staff is knowledgeable about signs and marketing. We are ready to help you gear up for more sales and more profits! Call today 978-250-9890.
