PERSPECTIVES

From The Co-Founders

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Tips, Tactics & Strategic Insights and Commentary
from The ROI Co-Founders, Pat Johnson and Dick Outcalt
Outcalt & Johnson: Retail Strategists LLC; Retail Turnaround Experts

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Ready for the Post-COVID Customers?

Believe it! A second chance to make a good first impression!


Yes, the shoppers WILL be returning. But boy, have they learned a lot during these pandemic times. 

They are far more comfortable with online shopping, and in many cases, eager to continue that. And the convenience of "contactless" features like curbside pickup and BOPIS (Buy Online, Pickup In Store) are welcomed.

In fact, an extensive survey from McKinsey & Company* provides considerable detail about the newly-learned online shopping behaviors of customers, and their expectations of continuing to use these new-found skills. 

Particular changes with presumed staying power: 

  • More online shopping
  • Less brand loyalty
  • Need for "hygiene transparency"
  • Back to basics & value
  • Rise of the homebody economy

But hold it. Wait just a minute. Our countervailing view is that the "homebody economy" will wear thin. And while customers do care even more about basics and value, especially when it comes to Holiday shopping, they will want "special." 

  • Shoppers are eager to have an in-store shopping experience – especially one of discovery and delight! – and the special attention it affords. 

These are the shoppers who will welcome the chance to shop in-store. 

But be ready. Many of them will feel like they are coming to your store for the first time. And they are more discerning than ever! 

The key is: what will they find when they enter your store? Here are a few "musts."

  • Will your staff be warm and welcoming?
  • Will it be bright and sparkly clean? (Shoppers DO care about "store hygiene.")
  • Will it feel roomy and safe? (Lighting matters here, as do shiny floors.)
  • Will it be thoughtfully organized, making it easy for them to shop?
  • Will it offer a sense of discovery? And delight?

This truly is your second chance to make a good first impression. Make it fun for you and your shoppers!

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* The great consumer shift: Ten charts that show how US shopping behavior is changing. Tamara Charm, Becca Coggins, Kelsey Robinson and Jamie Wilkie, McKinsey & Company, August 4, 2020.

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    Okay, we're ready. So...where are the customers?!

    So, say you have re-opened your stores. Then what? Did the customers come back? 

    Or, were many of those who did show up just there to say "Hello!" And "We missed you!", but not to buy? Sigh.

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    Listening? What Customers Really Want (and Don't Want)

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    • A "frictionless" checkout procedure? 
    • One hour delivery? 
    • Buy Now, Pay Later?
    • "This particular item in this particular color and size. Right now!?"
    • Etcetera

    It is all part of the on-going challenge of retail; the art and craft of being a merchant. 

    Then there are the customers who are reacting to the constant drumbeat of news about supply chain issues, merchandise shortages, and looming price increases by starting their shopping early. 

    Adding to this stampede, some major chains were launching their Black Friday specials before Halloween!

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    What is "Value" for Your Customers?

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    • Value = benefits received for the burdens endured.

    Wait. What? "Benefits received?" "Burdens endured?"

    Turns out, the only single answer to "What is value?" is, "It depends." 

    Don't just roll your eyes. What constitutes value for your customers increasingly is a make-or-break part of retailing. 

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    Big Waves Incoming! Ready to Take Advantage?

    This Holiday season is bringing three big waves for retailers, in rapid succession. And each one requires a strikingly different management response. 

    Wave #1 - the High Margin Wave - has begun in earnest, and will continue through Christmas Eve.

    Faced with the shipping delays (and surcharges), customers have turned to brick-and-mortar stores. The savvy retailers are ready for them.

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    Get Your Tents and Sidewalks Ready!

    As more stores are able to reopen, and more shoppers are willing to emerge, what will they encounter?

    • "A glut of pent-up inventory is waiting to be dumped on consumers this summer as retail stores reopen in the U.S., and shoppers for everything from shoes to sofas should be able to find major bargains," reported the Wall Street Journal* on June 2.

  • Get Ready. Get Set. And...Re-Set (with Insights)

    For retailers, the Fog of Uncertainty that began in April 2020 around the pandemics keeps coming back. Just when it appeared that we were ready to "get back to life" if not "back to normal," the Delta variant has surged. 

    This has created more uncertainty. How willing are your customers to actually go out and shop? Even more important (to you): how willing are YOUR customers to shop with YOU?

    So, here's an idea: Why not ask them? Really. Send them a short questionnaire.*



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