5 Recent Retail Industry Trends Redefining The Business
As consumers’ expectations change, the top retail industry leaders’ strategies do as well. Retail business owners like yourself cannot increase their profits and grow their companies without effectively reaching their target audiences. Since retailers’ target audiences now desire instant gratification and better shopping experiences, you need to upgrade your methods. Consider using these habits of successful retailers. Thus, you need to follow the latest trends that your competitors are using to optimize their sales. If you want to beat out your competition, read on and discover the recent retail industry trends redefining the business.
Experience-Focused Merchandising
One of the latest retail industry trends revolves around product merchandising. Today’s consumers want to experience products when they go shopping rather than just see them. They expect companies to tap into multiple senses using their product merchandising tactics. To succeed with experience-focused merchandising, consider what consumers want to post on social media. They post their experiences. Create an Instagram-worthy display that allows users to experience your products. In doing so, you receive free advertising through customer’s posts on social media. At the same time, you increase your chances of beating out your competitors with this new retail industry trend.
Digital Mobile Wallets
In order to boost your sales, you also need to follow the mobile wallet retail industry trend. New technological advancements allow consumers to pay for products with their smartphones. Because consumers enjoy this convenient option so much, retailers are beginning to offer it as a payment option even with high end merchandise. As a result, you can attract more consumers while offering a more convenient checkout process. This is especially true for younger generations who have higher technology-related expectations for retail companies. Take advantage of this retail industry trend to meet the needs of every generation within your target audience.
Faster E-Commerce Shipping
Furthermore, faster e-commerce shipping is also trending in the retail industry. Most consumers are busy professionals. Hence, they have little time to make it malls and shopping complexes. For this reason, the e-commerce shopping channel continues to grow. If you already have a well-established web presence, you need to take your business to the next level by offering faster shipping options. If a consumer needs a product by a certain date and they cannot decide between two brands, they will base their decision off of which company can get their package to them quicker. Use this retail industry trend to stand out among your competitors and impress your customers.
IoT For Marketing
More and more retailers are starting to use the Internet of Things (IoT) for marketing as well. This is one of the top retail industry trends because of how effective it is. Retail businesses who use IoT can efficiently obtain large amounts of customer data. You can use the data you receive to understand each customer’s product preferences. Then, you can put your newly gained insights to use in your marketing strategies. One of the most popular methods is to send consumers alerts when they get close to your storefront. You can use the IoT to locate consumers if they use your brand’s mobile app. When they receive alerts telling them that you are having a major sale, they change their plans to go check it out. This is one of the top retail industry trends transforming the business because it boosts sales.
Environmentally Friendly Practices
Finally, retailers have been implementing more sustainability practices due to customers’ concerns. If your company’s target market cares a lot about the environment, practicing sustainable tactics poses as a great marketing point. Because more target audiences are becoming environmentally friendly, more businesses are changing their ways. Brands who try to reach audiences that do not seem to care about the environment can also benefit from incorporating sustainability practices. These brands can expand their customer bases when they attract more consumers. Thus, every business should follow this retail industry trend.
Retailers need to stay up-to-date on the latest retail industry trends in order to meet consumers’ expectations. Begin by focusing your product merchandising efforts on providing consumers with experiences. Establish a plan to start providing customers with a mobile wallet payment option. Expedite your shipping methods to beat out your competition. The Internet of Things allows business owners to analyze consumers’ preferences and advertise products accordingly. Lastly, companies that implement more sustainable practices attract more consumers. If you want to thrive in today’s highly competitive market, follow the recent retail industry trends and use them to alter your strategies.