Retail TouchPoints: New Study Spotlights Need to Promote Online Channels In-Store
Through a special arrangement, presented here for discussion is a summary of a current article from the Retail TouchPoints website.
According to a survey from Bronto Software, websites were found to be the most promoted digital connection promoted at physical stores, followed far behind by QR codes, social networking programs and e-mail solicitation.
Detailed in the report titled Continuing the In-Store Conversation Online, Bronto executives visited 131 retail locations across industry categories, including apparel, accessories, department stores, electronics, health & beauty, and jewelry, to explore how stores were leveraging e-mail, mobile and social in creating a seamless shopping experience across channels.
Websites were the most promoted online channel (58 percent), with the storefront window being the most popular area to spotlight advertising. QR codes came in second, with 21 percent of retailers utilizing this method to provide immediate access to content, including videos, subscription forms and product information. Overall, 37 percent of all QR codes were placed in store windows.
"If marketers can find ways to link codes to different scannable content, adoption rate will go up, especially if companies communicate the value of scanning," said Jim Davidson, manager of marketing research for Bronto. "Then, we'll be able to learn how QR codes can impact revenue as well as customer acquisition."
Social networking accounts and initiatives were spotlighted in only 16 percent of locations and even at those stores Bronto found a lack of compelling calls-to-action. Advertisement methods mainly consisted of just posting Facebook logos. Said Mr. Davidson, "Retailers must look at their in-store messaging strategies and see if they make the value of participating clear."
Only 11 percent of stores promoted their email programs although industry analysts point to email as one of the "stickiest" forms of customer engagement. With associates finding it "awkward" and "intrusive" to ask customers for e-mails at point of sale, some brands have avoided this issue by inserting a prompt in credit card scanners that will display a few key bullet points about the email program and ask if they would like to join. E-mail initiatives can also be promoted throughout the store via QR codes and SMS campaigns.
"Retailers must utilize new methods to expand the acquisition efforts of their email programs," Mr. Davidson reported. "Isolating this process to the register is really restrictive and takes up too much time."