What Brick-And-Mortar Can Learn From Amazon’s Storefront In Manhattan
Remember that time we all went to sleep and woke up to find Amazon’s pop-up storefront across the street from the Empire State Building? It was a little weird, but it was also pretty brilliant.
The pop-up store, which will serve primarily as a place for customers to pick up online orders, is the first of many steps in the movement for retail as a whole to streamline the online-offline customer experience.
The Transition From E-Commerce To Brick-And-Mortar
Amazon may be the world’s top-performing player in the world of e-Commerce, but it makes complete sense why it would want to tap into the brick-and-mortar market. Not only will Amazon gain access to different demographics of shoppers, but it will also have the ability to test sales and operational tactics while still pushing traffic back to its online hub.
Traditional retailers have made the move to e-Commerce, so it’s only fitting that a traditional e-Commerce company would test out the brick-and-mortar market. While e-Commerce has offered many consumers the from-the-couch experience they’re looking for, it misses out on the tactile, face-to-face interactions that are needed to make certain sales.
Additionally, the opportunity to educate customers directly is undeniable. Online retailers that move to brick-and-mortar stores have the option of answering questions and delivering education in person; often, they discover pain points that would have been unidentifiable via email or live chats.
Streamline Your Customer Experience, Both Online And Off
Amazon’s move to a physical storefront will encourage the integration of e-Commerce and brick-and-mortar. Though Amazon is an online retail powerhouse, its move to traditional retail is smart because the two support each other. They’re very different, but they’re powerful when seamlessly united.
The retail climate is shifting, and as a retailer, you should welcome the change while capitalizing on the evolving needs of customers. Implement a more integrated approach between e-Commerce and in-store retail, and your customers will have access to a wider range of products and services than ever before, which will drive your sales.
Any traffic that e-Commerce brings you is an opportunity to improve your offerings, so make sure you offer a seamless experience from in-store to online. This is your chance to over-deliver through in-person contact and ease of service.
Both traditional and e-Commerce retailers should take note and learn from Amazon. It’s built relationships that ensure easy delivery, return, and customer service practices, and it’s sure to carry these best practices into its brick-and-mortar locations as the online and offline retail climates become more streamlined.
Related Posts:
https://sambahreini.com/2014/03/why-the-dominance-of-amazon-wont-mean-the-end-of-brick-and-mortar/
https://sambahreini.com/2015/07/how-to-balance-digital-and-human-interaction-in-retail/
