What will you and your customers want in three years time?
As a retailer, it is so easy to only focus on the present and keeping your business ticking over but with technology developing so quickly, are you prepared for the future?
Millennium shoppers are fast pace and extremely tech savvy, expecting a lot more from their shopping experience than previous generations. However, it appears that it is not just those born after 1980 at are using technology throughout the buyer experience, a massive 87% of UK consumers have bought at least one product online in the last 12 months. That’s a lot of people! So it’s no surprise that in July 2017 consumer spending reached 310693 GBP Million, a number that is so big it doesn’t seem real.
As we head into Autumn/Winter retailers are preparing for the holiday season, from Halloween through to New Year (with Black Friday and Christmas in between!) online and in store footfall is likely to increase, putting pressure on businesses to meet customer demands and delivery expectations.
If your retail systems can’t cope now, how will they fare in 3 or 5 years’ time?
Customer experience key to success
Experience is a crucial aspect of the shopping journey; whilst providing extended choice and convenience adds value to the customer, if their experience isn’t seamless they are likely to not stay loyal to your business.
Choosing a retail IT system that can blur the boundaries of the online and physical world is one way to look to the future, protect your investment and keep one step ahead of the competition. Being left behind isn’t something any retailer wants to face, especially in today’s market, if your retail system isn’t up to scratch then chances are you will be playing catch up.
You need to ensure that any new EPoS system you review and ultimately invest in needs to consider your future plans and those of your customers. Whether you are planning on expanding with new stores, selling on eBay or even considering implementing mobile PoS you will need to have the right system in place.
Autumn 2020: What will customers expect?
5 things to consider:
- What delivery options will customers want?
- Can you offer competitive delivery options and prices?
- Will you need click and collect, courier tracking, Royal Mail or multi-channel returns?
- Have you thought of implementing mobile PoS to enhance personalisation?
- Will you be expected to sell via more than one sales channel?
To help you decide which retail system is best suited to your business download the FREE short guide:
Which EPoS System is Right for You?
10 Insights to help you sell more and manage less
Rachel is passionate about retail and the ever-changing retail technology environment, with a keen eye for upcoming retail trends that are set to shake up the sector.
