We constantly see headlines about all the technology driving people away from stores and onto their computers to buy everything. It almost seems like, in the near future, we’ll be getting everything online, with physical stores becoming a thing of the past. Although, anyone who loves to shop can testify that nothing beats the thrill of a good day out shopping…
Ecommerce and physical stores aren’t opposites, or enemies; on the contrary, both have benefits and drawbacks, and both provide different information for the types of products being shopped. If you have an online store in addition to your brick-and-mortar shop, you’re in a great position to benefit from a productive strategy called web-to-store, or ROBO (research online, buy offline). And if you’re looking for a credit card processing solution for small business, you’ll want a service provider who can do both.
Clothing, specialty items, hardware—basically any store where interacting with a product before buying can make a difference—benefit from ROBO shopping. Online shopping, despite how convenient and on-the-rise it is, can never fully replace in-store shopping (don’t quote me on that in 2100…), and if you own a shop, a good way to begin is by accentuating the benefits of the in-person experience.
Step 1: Good eCommerce.
To begin, you’re going to need an effective ecommerce website to start crafting a ROBO strategy. You’ll want a variety of effective calls to action to allow visitors multiple opportunities to interact with you and your product. You’ll also want to make your website a useful place to do research about your product, as fast and easily as possible. Luckily, Moolah integrates beautifully with Wix, Shopify, and other applications that are able to help you design the perfect ecommerce experience for your customers.
Step 2: Give customers what they can’t get online.
The ultimate call to action is the one that gets the customer away from the screen and into your store. One particularly artful way to do just that is to offer appointments. This move can really up the perceived value of your product or service, with not much added effort on your part. Additionally, you’ll be building customer loyalty, while connecting with your customer on a deeper level.
Appointments are natural for hair stylists, but what if you sell a product, not a service? In this situation, appointments can become a way of creating value for your customers, and giving you a dramatic advantage over the competition. Are you a specialty wine, cheese, or spice store? Allow customers to schedule a free tasting appointment & consultation. Clothing or beauty products? Appointments can be a styling consultation or intro to new products. By using your website to start an interaction with your customers that ends in your store, you and your customer will benefit from the connection.
Step 3: A payment solution that makes everything possible.
With ecommerce and in-store sales, it will be important to get a credit card processing solution for small business that can take you all the way. Moolah is a great solution for businesses that sell online, in addition to their brick-and-mortar store. That’s because we work diligently to supply you with everything you need, whether that’s a beautiful Poynt POS terminal, the necessary tools to make a killer eCommerce site, and a dedicated merchant account that handles everything. Doing both is not only possible, it’s powerful! And Moolah is there to help.