This week we take at the increasing foot traffic in retail and look at the pandemic’s lesson on inventory.

WHAT’S IN THIS WEEKS EDITION, YOU ASK?

  • The pandemic’s lesson on inventory
  • The key to store-based fulfillment 
  • How live-streaming is taking over China’s marketing
  • Dos Marcos mattress podcast discusses how time changes create an opportunity to have a conversation with your customers.
  • Turn your foot traffic into more sales with a 90-day free trial of Doorcounts 3.0.

FOOT TRAFFIC INDEX

Here’s a look at last week’s foot traffic compared to the same time last year.

DC FEATURE OF THE WEEK

This is where each week we highlight a feature within Doorcounts. This week’s feature is:

Emailing statistics

As we’ve all seen throughout the craziness of the last year, following up with customers after they leave the store is crucial when trying to turn your foot traffic into more sales.

Not only can you follow up through email within Doorcounts, but you can track and analyze the status of the emails sent out to customers.

FOOT TRAFFIC TRENDS

Industry insights so you can convert your foot traffic into more sales.

The pandemics lesson on Inventory

If the pandemic taught us anything, it is the importance of keeping inventory up-to-date.
 
Consumers prove they still want to shop in stores with the increasing popularity of curbside pickup and BOPIS.  Although shoppers are slowly returning to physical stores, they limit their time in stores which continues to put pressure on accurate inventory levels.
 
This is easier said than done as inventories are still lagging sales growth in 2021.  As inventory levels slowly return to normal and the next round of stimulus checks are sent out, retailers can expect a boost in the months to come.

Marketing for foot traffic

As retailers see foot traffic slowly return to normal, there are simple marketing tools and techniques that can be used to increase your foot traffic.
 
For one, radio is still alive and well with over 80 million Americans listen to podcast weekly in 2021.
 
Secondly, keeping your Google My Business up-to-date is incredibly important as it is now the first thing visible on Google on mobile devices.
 
When consumers google your store, Google My Business is the highlighted box that appears above all other searches.  Having updated store hours and product highlights on this page can greatly enhance your store’s foot traffic.

This week on Dos Marcos

Daylight savings is a concept that has been disputed former many years. This week Dos Marcos discuss the effects of time changes and how it creates an opportunity to have a conversation with your customers.

Store-Based Fulfillment

A recent study of 140+ U.S. retail executives who offer at least one form of online-in store fulfillment found that the pandemic resulted in a 5X increase in Ecommerce volume compared to last year.
 
While many industries still require a physical showroom, the need for a seamless connection between online and physical stores is at an all-time high.
 
The study found that 80% of shoppers said they were likely or very likely to have digital interactions with store associates over the next six months.  The issue is that only around 50% of retailers currently use digital tools to reach out via email or text.
 
The idea that customers don’t want to be bothered with a text or email has completely changed since the pandemic and people wanting to spend less time in a physical store.

Live streaming – future of marketing?

As the pandemic continues to shake up the way retailers spend on marketing, live streaming has taken over China’s marketing.
 
In 2020 alone, live-streaming generated $135 billion in Chinese e-commerce sales, while the use of live-streaming as marketing is a relatively new idea in the US.
 
As lockdowns swept across the US, a select few retailers used live-streaming to stay connected with their customers.  This was not the type of live stream that required paying an influencer, but instead, a live stream started by salespeople highlighting new products and having candid conversations with customers.
 
These associate-driven live streams position employees as product experts and brand curators. 

NOTEWORTHY NEWS

Furniture hype: The Patio chairs featured in Oprah’s Meghan and Harry interview was made by a ‘Brady Bunch’ actor –  and sold out in minutes.
 
Retail’s future: How the future of retail will be open-air, curbside, and data-driven.
 
Up in flames: A new flammability regulation requires updated labeling in 2021.
 
Customer-centric: How to understand and embrace the heart of your customers.

RANDOM IRRELEVANCE

Active matter: Researchers discover a new state of active matter that bends the laws of physics.
 
St. Patty surprise: Chicago delivers St. Patrick’s Day surprise, as the river runs green again.
 
Dungeons & Dragons: The infamous strategy game had its biggest year ever as Covid forced the game off tables and onto the web.
 
Peeps get a makeover: Hipdot and Peeps team up for an unexpected collaboration.