Discover 5 ways to increase retail sales during a lockdown.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to cause great upheaval to our daily lives, the retail and tourism sectors have had to adapt their operations significantly to meet the changing needs of their customers whilst adhering to local restrictions. Read our tips below for some useful insights and ideas on how to increase your retail sales during a lockdown.
The online shopping trend is skyrocketing, and an online store can be used to both complement and protect your bricks and mortar store.
According to the UK’s Office of National Statistics, the average monthly penetration of e-commerce as a percentage of total retail sales spiked to 30.2% in April, the first full month of the UK’s COVID-19 lockdown. As restrictions eased across the UK, a dip occurred but by November the sales had spiked again to 36%.
The next release of data is due on the 22nd of January, so it will be interesting to see the stats – check back later for an update here.
Enabling your customers to continue to shop with you during a lockdown and be able to remind them you are still there, alone, makes an online shop a worthy investment. Thanks to platforms such as Shopify, Squarespace, WIX and BigCommerce – launching your online store is simple. Even if you get stuck, there are a plethora of online forums to help answer any questions or issues you may have… remember you are not alone in your quest to build an online store!
McKinsey & Company said that organizations that can quickly reimagine their omnichannel approach to create a distinctive customer experience will recover faster from the pandemic. So now is definitely the time to launch that online store, if you haven’t already done so!
There is a lot you can do with social media and video, that won’t cost you a penny and can reap you many rewards.
Make sure your customers know that shopping with you is safe, and show them if and where you have implemented extra measures.
During the pandemic, you may be selling products that are no longer relevant to your customers. Mckinsey & Company noted that with the unprecedented scale and scope of the lockdowns, consumers have naturally developed an appetite for products and services centered on the home.
Consider how you should adapt your product offering to suit the needs of your customers during this time. You could even expand your online product offering by partnering with wholesalers who can provide a drop shipping or click-and-collect service. This can be a very low risk and cost-effective way to add products to your portfolio. (Ask us about our dropshipping service!)
You can further advertise your online offering using Facebook Commerce Manager and by advertising on Facebook and Google Ads platforms.
Everything “normal” went out the window back in March 2020, and everyone is now used to new and unconventional ways of shopping. Consider new and different ways to entice shoppers to your store or online, or to just remind them you are still there;
Can we help you?
Contact us to learn more about our top-selling impulse toys and gifts, or ask about our dropship service which is available on specific lines.