Sidestep the Sucker Punch of Internet Price

What do most shoppers want? Topping the list is competitive prices. But if you’re primarily a bricks-and-mortar (B&M) retailer, competing with the internet on price won’t work as well for you as looking at other ways to surpass online shopping in consumers’ minds. Instead of the boxing sucker punch of internet price, use the wrestling metaphor of pressure points.
     Here are some I’ve derived from consumer psychology research results and my in-store consulting:

• Shoppers get more excited making discoveries in B&M shopping than in online shopping. Use surprise specials and have fun products next to serious products. 
• Keep the checkout process highly efficient. B&M shoppers are much less tolerant of cross-selling and upselling when paying than are online shoppers. Do compliment shoppers on the selections they’ve made and be sure to thank them for their purchases. Both of these increase the probability of future purchases. 
• Three of the top irritation triggers for online shoppers are difficulties in returning unwanted items, sales promotions that are unclear or seem misleading, and limited product selection. To win over shoppers to your B&M store, excel in these areas. Maintaining an abundant product selection can be challenging for the small to midsize retailer. Accepting special orders can help. So can product substitutability—products in your assortment mix which the shopper feels comfortable substituting for other products they might consider. 
• Personalize. Your shoppers appreciate the chance to customize. What they like even more is the opportunity to personalize. So present the options to your shoppers in terms of them expressing their personal values. This counts for more with B&M than with online shoppers. Researchers at Colorado State University found that consumers choose to personalize even if it means accepting design quality inferior to what professional designers would produce. Another study concluded shoppers in a marketing atmosphere filled with fears of privacy being violated still will volunteer ample amounts of information about themselves to a retailer if they see the retailer using this to personalize the shopping experience for them. 
• Smart retailers won’t require their customers to choose between B&M and online. Have both available. Then keep the experience as consistent as possible. Color schemes, type fonts, photos of product packaging, and more should provide a seamless transition. You might offer a few different promotions online than in the store, but having at least a little overlap between the two is useful. 

For your profitability: Sell Well: What Really Moves Your Shoppers

Click below for more: 
Have Unannounced Discounts on Common Purchases 
Have Fun Items Throughout the Store 
Have Post-Sale Product Literature 
Replace Exclusivity with Substitutability 
Personalize the Shopping Experience