I do miss the days of “shop till you drop” – an expression coined when consumer culture and the concept of shopping for pleasure became popular. Younger shopkeepers may not believe it, but once upon a time people (mostly women) enjoyed spending hours browsing in malls and shopping streets for items they didn’t necessarily need. 

The decline of recreational shopping is one of the main factors leading to the loss of viability for shopping centers, and it has also been hard on independent retailers. In fact one of the leading concerns of retailers today is a lack of foot traffic outside of the holiday season. Unless you are in a tourist area, it’s likely that you are worried about a decline in the number of people coming through your door.

One solution to this problem is becoming a “bricks and clicks” business, assuming that your customers are willing to order from you online (and that you can ship economically).  Of course the internet is a crowded marketplace, with giants such as Amazon trolling for the same shopper. You’ll need to have a sophisticated website and a loyal customer base in order to make this succeed.

If you don’t want to sell online, it’s important to do what you can to pump up the foot traffic coming into your brick and mortar store. Special events, beyond clearance sales, are the answer for many retailers.  It’s wise to have a calendar listing on your website at all times with some upcoming samplings, demos or readings. Even if customers don’t come in for them, the fact that you always have activities going on shows that your shop is a place worth visiting regularly.

New products can also be a motivation for shoppers. Do you keep a list so that you can notify your regulars of something that has just coming in that might interest them? Do you offer small gifts and surprises from time to time to reward those who stop in as a result your email blasts about recent arrivals?  

Communicating regularly via email and social media is essential for staying in the front of mind of your existing customers. We also use direct mail, sending out quarterly postcards to our entire list, and special cards to those who have a birthday coming up each month. The birthday cards promise a gift, and a surprisingly large number of people redeem theirs.

Perhaps the most important thing you can do to increase foot traffic is to work with your district, mall or town to bring more customers to all the businesses in your area.  There may not be as many people spending unlimited amounts of time shopping, but those who come out for a drink with friends, an exercise class, or a dinner date still enjoy a chance to explore great independent retail stores. 

If you aren’t successful in turning around a declining trend in foot traffic, consider protecting your bottom line by curtailing your store hours or limiting your staffing. An advisor from your local SBDC could discuss the options open to you, and what action you should take to cope with this challenging situation.

Happy Retailing,
Carol “Orange” Schroeder