Retailing tricks to get you noticed

Retailing used to be a pretty simple affair. If the shelves were well stocked and an A-Board promoting your specials was on the footpath, you were in business. But the rules of the game are changing as a new breed of consumer demands more from retailers than ever before.

Exceptional service, tailored communications, a dazzling in-store experience and the ability to buy online is just the start. Not surprisingly, these new demands are stretching Australian retailers well outside their comfort zone.

So take note. Mediocre retailers won’t last long in the current environment.

1. Cater for online research

Okay, so you’ve got your website and you may have even dabbled in social marketing sites like Twitter and Facebook, but an online strategy has to go beyond that these days.

Increasingly, buyers are researching their purchase online before they shop, plugging non-brand keywords into a search engine. This means that retailers need to ensure that their store or brand will be found when people are searching online.

Stephen Ogden-Barnes, program director of the Australian Centre for Retail Studies, says retailers need to wise up to this trend.

“We believe there’s a misconception among retailers that the internet is only used for selling, but it’s also used by consumers who conduct research. For a retailer not to have a presence online would be fool-hardy,” Ogden-Barnes says.

Chris Thomas, who heads up search engine optimisation (SEO) company Reseo, says SEO and Google AdWords are vital for retailers.

“Product information needs to be clearly displayed and strong photography could give a retailer an edge over their competitors.”

Thomas says offering a discount voucher incentive, which can be printed out and taken in-store for redemption, could get a sale over the line.

2. Simplify the online buying process

While some retailers are slowly making their way into the online world, in some cases, the processes they’re putting in place creates barriers to a sale.

Chris Hitchen, CEO of price aggregation site getprice.com.au says asking customers to register pages of information about themselves before they’re able to make an online purchase is ridiculous.

Filling out pages of forms doesn’t hold true in the offline world, so retailers shouldn’t be making consumers do this on their website.

“Consumers don’t like to have to register to buy something from your site unless you’re offering them an incentive to do so, like a discount,” Hitchen says.

3. Go green

Consumers not only want to be able to purchase environmentally-friendly products from retailers, they want to know that retailers themselves are doing their bit for the environment, according to the ACRS.

Consultants like Village Green can help a business put their best green foot forward. Chief executive Doug Smith says green retailing can actually save money, with financial savings often identified during an audit. He says a business can start being greener by simply creating a checklist of all their electronic devices and making sure they’re turned off when not in use.

Turning green also presents an opportunity to get some market leadership. “Telling consumers you’re green can in turn attract new customers,” Smith says.

But steer clear of green washing, which refers to green claims that mislead consumers. To stay out of trouble, make sure all environmentally-friendly claims can be substantiated.

4. Be all things to a few people

Retailers crafting their own very specific niche are also having considerable success. Melbourne’s Mag Nation is a prime example. The retailer stocks only magazines (including hard to get titles) from around the world in a move that’s proven hugely successful.

Stores like groovy stationery retailer kikki.k, pyjama king Peter Alexander and bag retailer Crumpler are also successful niche operators.

Sahil Merchant, Mag Nation’s founder says the key is to think outside the square.

“We did our homework and found that niche publishers would kill for support and help from newsagents but many aren’t getting it. A lot of people in the magazine industry like us because we’re shaking things up, which is what finding your niche is all about.”

5. Value goes beyond the dollar

Value is increasingly important to consumers, particularly in the current economic environment. As such, bargain hunting as a pastime is increasingly popular, according to Sydney research and strategy consultancy, The Seed.

“Bargain hunting is a status symbol. And those looking for a bargain are just as likely to be high earners as battlers. Even at the low end of the market, good value should be at the core. Cheap doesn’t have to mean nasty,” founder Sean Adams says.

But value extends beyond the dollar. In-store experience, advice during the purchase, a warranty or a return policy can represent value to consumers.