The end of the year, stretching from Black Friday to New Year's Day, has become a major shopping event for shoppers and retailers alike. Consumers across the country flock to stores over the holiday season to take advantage of great deals on holiday gifts, even during periods when the economy experiences sluggish performance. According to Reuters, annual holiday shopping revenues will increase by just under 3 percent this year.
The volume of shopping trips may be a bit more modest this year, but that doesn't mean that retailers can't still take advantage of the rush to drum up extra sales. Deploying advanced communications technology like beacons in-store can greatly enhance a retailer's ability to guide visitors toward hot sale items, limit the anxiety of holiday shopping and create more business beyond the holidays. Retailers across every industry should consider the benefits of integrating beacon technology into their in-store marketing efforts.
Greater in-store app usage means new opportunities for retailers to reach out
One of the reasons that beacons are ideal for retailers over the holidays is because they help companies communicate with shoppers in the aisle. According to Business Insider Intelligence, usage of apps to do shopping skyrocketed by 174% in 2014. Likewise, 60 percent of respondents to a consumer survey noted that they were willing to interact with beacon-delivered content. This growing comfort with push notifications and proximity-based marketing creates a window for retailers to offer timely sales information to customers.
Macy's, a department store brand with over 800 department stores across the country, has already installed beacon technology in every location, noted Wireless Week. Likewise, smaller retailers like Mervyns have begun to pilot similar strategies in a handful of test locations. By using beacon technology, stores can not only inform customers on relevant holiday offers, but also collect important data about what customers are buying and where they are spending their time in-store. This information can provide a crucial edge with regards to maximizing profits during their visits.
Dynamic in-store displays can control congestion and lower customer frustration
Beacons can be used alongside a comprehensive Content Management System (CMS), like the one developed by Digital Social Retail, to make in-store displays responsive to the presence of nearby customers or timed events. The number of possibilities for how this set-up can be used to improve sales and lessen congestion over the holidays is limited only by the company's creativity.
For example, displays placed near the store's checkout areas could be programmed to display line wait times or direct waiting customers to other points of sale if lines grow too large. All of this information can be gathered with the help of beacon technology installed near the front of house, then shared as helpful customer updates over the company's CMS.
Impressive technology turns seasonal shoppers into repeat customers
One of the most impressive feats that retailers can accomplish with beacons is turning one-time holiday buyers into regular shoppers. There are many ways that the wireless technology can be used to accomplish this goal, from simplifying the shopping experiencing to wowing technology lovers with beacon-assisted apps. Additionally, beacon technology can play an important role in signing customers up for loyalty programs.
The hustle and bustle of the holidays may seem like the worst time to encourage buyers to fill out a form, but customers are far more willing to sign up for a loyalty program if they can do so from their smartphone. Beacons can also send timely reminders about the perks and discounts associated with the store's loyalty program while they do their holiday shopping.
