The Hindu Business Line : `A good Web site will help retailers increase sales'

"It is important for every retailer to have a good Web site to help increase sales. A Web site must not merely reflect the store's catalogue but also a limitless inventory," the business author and international speaker, Mr Robert Spector, said.

"A new trend in the US is to `order online and pick up at the store'," he said. He said "Live chat" was an emerging area that retailers could look at. In Live Chat a salesperson from the store chats online as one enters the Web site. Besides helping one navigate the Web site, the salesperson also helps in making decisions like choosing the right dress size or shoe size.

When asked if online stores would outnumber retail stores in future, Mr Spector said the Internet was only complementary to physical stores. "Brick and mortar stores have an edge over online stores. They have capital, infrastructure and a physical presence. The customer recall for physical stores is much higher than that for online stores," he said.

On the booming retail scene in India he said large format niche stores must go the extra mile for their customers without caring about the extra expenditure incurred. "Gaining a customer is not comparable to the money you spend on him," said Mr Spector. He said such gestures generated word-of-mouth publicity that would ensure customer loyalty.

"The `Customer is king' phrase is valid but expecting 100 per cent customer satisfaction is a recipe for failure. Let your salespersons give customers the essential service," he said.

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