There are now over 266,000,000 Internet users in the North American (according to Internet World Stats), which represents a good 77% of our population. Not all of them shop online, thankfully, but e-commerce is clearly a competitor to brick and mortar stores that is here to stay.

How can you compete with the deep discounts and 24/7 shopping available on the web?  There are three areas in which real stores excel: instant gratification (no waiting for UPS to deliver your purchases), personal, in-person customer service, and a shopping experience that appeals to all of the customer’s five senses. 

Try to walk into your store as if you’ve never been there before and evaluate what you do to invite shoppers to use their sense of smell, touch, sight, taste and hearing.  If you are lacking in any of these areas, the winter trade shows are a good time to look for products that may help make up for the deficit.

Not everyone appreciates a heavy dose of incense, but a pleasantly scented shop can relax shoppers as soon as they enter.  We sell reed diffusers from several companies, including Frasier Fir by The Thymes, and I’m sure that at the holidays this inviting aroma helps put shoppers in a Christmas mood right away.  Reed diffusers are a wonderful solution to the prohibition in some areas (including ours) against having lit candles in the store.

Statistics prove that customers are much more likely to buy a product they can touch, which is the reason for this amusing sign at one of our favorite stores in Chapel Hill, North Carolina: Cameron’s Gallery.  In keeping with their policy of having “highly entertaining, off-the-wall stuff,” Cameron’s invites shoppers to play with the merchandise and stocks merchandise that customers will enjoy exploring.  Which is not to say that they don’t have locked cases for some of their items that would be tempting to shoplifters — but the majority of their merchandise is available to touch.

A good retail shop is by nature a visual delight, and true artistry can come into play in displaying the merchandise (as well as the merchandise selection). If your skills are not strong in this area, look to local theater designers or art students to help you create memorable visuals in your store.

Taste is the one sense that most stores do not appeal to, unless they sell food and offer sampling.  But a cup of iced tea,  a tray of cookies or a bowl of inexpensive mints or hard candies should be within the reach of most stores.  Take a look at the showrooms you visit during the trade shows to see what they are doing to make you feel welcome.  Perhaps $5 a day for a bowl of Hershey’s kisses would be a justifiable business expense.

The last sense, sound, is one that has a subtle but important influence on how long shoppers stay in your store. I think it’s important to know your market when you choose your background music — in general, any music with lyrics is distracting in a retail setting, but if you are selling to young customers you’ll want to play whatever sets the right mood for them.

Don’t forget your own sensual enjoyment as you spend your working hours in your shop. I have a scented candle burning by my computer as I type this, and I do believe it is now time for tea….

Happy Retailing,

Carol “Orange” Schroeder