New challenges that retailers must tackle

To keep up with the fast pace of the shifting shopping behaviour of consumers, brick-and-mortar retailers have boosted their integrated online and offline strategies so that they can be accessible to consumers whenever and wherever they want. Retailers, too, are trying to make standardised offerings across different channels of sales.

Although the impact of digital devices is shaping consumers’ shopping and decision-making behaviour, there is a need to measure the success of digital investments made by the retailers to upgrade their digital strategies and offerings in the marketplace. There are many retailers who fail to meet the digital expectations of their customers. This gap poses a serious threat to their overall revenue and challenges the way they respond to, and predict, customers’ shopping habits in-store.

The foremost reasons that impede consumers from online shopping include unsecured payment, slow shipping, unwanted product, spam or virus, troublesome emails, and technology problems. Security is a major concern preventing customers from online shopping since payments are most likely made with credit cards or debit cards. Fearing that the online store might misuse their personal details, consumers refrain from shopping online.

In the meantime, there are certain products available online that are tangible in nature. Consumers may not find the product information provided on the website sufficient enough to make a decision. Online shoppers end up in disappointment if the product information fails to meet their expectation. Likewise, a bad online shopping experience in the past can also affect the future purchase decision of consumers.

Best of both worlds Online shopping is a fundamental business model in e-commerce and if the online marketplaces aim to attract and retain their buyers, they must acquire a better understanding of their shopping behaviour through a secured and user-friendly website, efficient customer service and an engaging marketing programme.

With consumers relying primarily on mobile, laptops and desktops to order goods and services, the face of retail is changing at an incredible speed today and this change is imperative for business. Delivering a truly seamless experience requires a presence at every stage of the customer journey, from discovery through research, purchase, fulfilment and beyond, to product maintenance or returns. To achieve this, retailers must also integrate their operations in tandem with the current needs. This does not mean the brick–and-mortar store is dead! Consider it a powerful asset when it comes to creating a complete shopping experience. The trick is to connect the dots along the consumers’ purchase journey and focus specifically on how to support their digital shopping experience once they enter the doors of the store.

Priya Sachdev is Founder, RockNShop

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