How Specscart Urmston will be a game changer for the eyewear industry
Update: Specscart Urmston opened its doors on 5th March, 2022. We are offering free eye tests at the store for a limited time period. Book yours here — Specscart Urmston Eye Test.
“Retail stores are dead!”
At Specscart, we don’t believe in this exaggeration as we expand further in Great Manchester, with our new brick-and-mortar based store opening soon in the town of Urmston. How do we do that? Read on!
The pandemic may have taken a toll, but Retail Stores can still go on a roll
As per the website of the Office of National Statistics, UK — “Overall, online sales rose to a record high of 33.9% as a share of retail spending in 2020”. According to PwC, “almost 50 stores closed every day in the UK in 2020”.
Cut to the present times — as we welcome 2022 — the picture may not be as grim as pointed out by the previous year’s data. With the out of the blue COVID-19 induced restrictions, physical stores found themselves in a fix in the initial stages of the pandemic. But, homo sapiens — who have mastered the art of adapting through their complex evolution process — again did well when the task was to stay relevant in the brick-and-mortar based retail space.
Taking reference from the same website of the Office of National Statistics, UK — “the proportion of retail sales online fell to 27.3% in October 2021, its lowest proportion since March 2020”. The data quoted highlights the capturing back of market space by physical retail stores, to a significant extent. How can we write off a sector which still occupies close to 3/4th of the market share?
The fact that shopping in a physical setup is still much favoured by the customers doesn’t mean that those involved in the retail store business become complacent. They need to be grounded and accept the reality that the competition has got hotter than ever.
September 2021 was a landmark month for us as we moved our first store (which was inaugurated in 2017) to 4X larger premises — in the same shopping centre. While it was a tough year for us like any other brand, the continued support of the Mancunians made it possible. And now we are gearing up for our 3rd store in Manchester, in the charming market of Urmston.
So what should be the focus areas for product-based businesses who are present either completely over the offline space or have gone part online and part offline?
Giving your customers a memorable experience
Customers who walk out of your door should be willing to return — mind you, not with a complaint — but to relive the experience that your store has provided them. Your objective should be to accumulate happy customers, rather than accumulate wealth.
Right from the greeting of the security guard stationed at the door to the person who has been given the task at the billing counter, your employees need to build a connection with the customers — a memorable one — that gets etched into their hearts. Also, create vibes that are customer-friendly to create bonds that are everlasting.
Engage, engage and engage!
To get your business model to succeed, the foremost thing that you should do is to put it out there in the public domain, in an engaging manner. Why should they choose you over the innumerable options available? What makes you different from the rest? There definitely must be something. You just have to let the world know.
In a digital era, you can reap the benefits of the digital medium through attractive marketing campaigns. The role of offline marketing should also not be downplayed, as it has a charm of its own. And yes, don’t miss out on in-store engagement, which is the most important among all.
Create an empowered team
Not only your customers, but also your team needs to feel a strong connection with your brand. Whether those involved in face-to-face interactions with the customers or even those working in the background to make your business a success, each and every team member should be empowered to contribute in a way that makes them feel entitled to the results that follow out of the efforts put in.
An emotional bond
An emotional linkage with your customers can go a long way in providing the much needed fillip to your business. How do you bring back the nostalgia of childhood memories through your products, services and marketing? How do you ensure that a customer who has chosen you for a mother’s day gift, leaves with the realisation of the unconditional love that a mother has for her child?
You need to connect not only at the level of mind but also at the level of heart.
Against the backdrop of the pandemic induced changes in shopping behaviour, brick-and-mortar based retail setups need to move fast to cater to the recent developments. No doubt that these are tough times but as rightly said, ‘A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor’.
