What the future will bring to retailers: forecasting customer needs

Retailers are eager to predict the future and find out what customers want and expect from them.

With more and more people staying at home and opting for online shopping, this online casino in Canada, games, and online entertainment, it is easy to see the importance of these predictions.

Luckily, it's possible to foresee how customers will behave and use this data to make informed business decisions.

Safe in-store shopping

With Covid-19 in mind, here are a few things that a retailer can do to keep customers safe:

·     Limit the number of customers

·     Make hand sanitisers easily available to every customer

·     Everyone should wear a face mask

These are the simple measures all retailers can implement right now. Some stores, however, go the extra mile and invest in in-store technologies:

1.    Occupancy monitoring systems that accurately count the number of customers

2.    Click & Collect orders as an alternative form of online delivery

3.    Mobile self-checkout systems to help with social distancing

Outdoor shopping and pick-up areas

Customers nowadays choose to avoid cramped spaces. As such, retailers should move their businesses outdoors. If this is not an option, here is what you can do:

·     Implement an online queuing system

·     Implement online or curbside pickup

·     Implement flow monitoring technology

All these techniques help reduce the number of people waiting in a store and offer an experience that makes customers feel safe.

For example, customers can use a web-link to inform the store about their arrival and wait by the curbside for their order. An employee then can prepare and bring the order to the customer.

Follow the trends in retail innovation

Retailers are bracing for the impact that the pandemic will have on them.

To soften the blow, they expand their online presence and learn effective online sales techniques. This is what brands can do to decrease the uncertainty that lingers around the pandemic:

·     Prioritise online sales

·     Implement online delivery and curbside pickup

·     Automate business processes

Brands that offer Click & Collect, BOPIS, and buy now pay later options may even see a boost in sales.

How retailers respond to the situation

Retailers today change their delivery processes to provide a consistent customer experience across their ecommerce marketing channels.

Multiple surveys have shown that customers will continue shopping online after the pandemic ends, so these investments won't go in vain.

In order to compete with Amazon and other major retailers, small businesses can offer last mile delivery.

The term refers to the last step of the delivery process when an order is moved to the final destination. The delivery personnel update the tracking information online and confirm the package has been received.

It is safe to say that the retail industry will be driven by technologies that offer a safe shopping experience. As such, retailers should adopt new tactics to address new challenges and meet the demand.