All too often, dealers organize their physical store and website like a warehouse with little thought about creating a fun, exciting, “sales boosting” experience.
Consider the root of the word destination. Destiny! Are your customers destined to visit your store or website? Is shopping at your store like going to heaven for customers who are enthusiastic about the type of products and services you offer?
TWO KEYS TO CREATE A “HEAVENLY” SHOPPING EXPERIENCE: JOURNEY AND DISCOVERY.
How your customers shop—their journey—must be easy and satisfying. Luckily, you can control this shopping experience. Be aware that different customers enjoy different ways of shopping. How “user friendly” is your store or website? To answer this question, you must understand that some customers bounce around, attracted by the shiniest things in your store. Others move methodically up and down each aisle. It’s your job to offer a variety of shopping paths so each customer enjoys their journey and reaches “destination check out.”
Consider these shoppers:
- The “Lets-Make-A-Deals:” Everyone loves a bargain! These customers hunt for deals. Make sure manufacturer promotions, pre-owned and non-current vehicles, sales items, and clearance items are clearly marked to draw this crowd into you store. On your website, make sure these “bargain” sections are accessible from the Home Page. Also, place links directly to your online classifieds on eBay, CycleTrader, Motorcycle.com, and others.
- The Brand Fanatics: Major manufacturers spend big money to cultivate their brands and create a culture around their products. Cater to the “brand cults” by organizing like-branded, hot products together. On your website, offer a “shop by brand” area so Brand Fanatics can start their shopping journey without the distraction of “the other guy’s” stuff.
- The Sprinters (aka “5 Minutes or Less”): These folks are on a mission. Look closely and you might see the stopwatch dangling from their neck. These customers will go straight to an employee in your store with a part number or description of exactly what they need—of course, they’ve already done their research to not waste any time. On websites, these folks gravitate to your search box. You might be surprised to find out that, according to Forrester Research, 82% of shoppers like to start their product search with a search box. If possible, offer a search box that auto-completes as your customers are typing keywords or product numbers so customers find exactly what they’re looking for within one click from their search. Try it out here:http://www.arrowheaddemo.com.
- The Alphas: Remember all those folks that slept in line overnight to buy the first Apple iPhone for twice what it cost a year later? Meet the Alphas; they’re the kids in class with the shiniest new toys. These are also the folks that create product trends and lead the way for other shoppers. Attract Alphas by offering the newest gadgets “front and center” without much concern for price. Don’t worry about turning off the non-Alphas; they will want a preview of what they’ll probably buy “on sale” a few months down the road.
- The “B” Squad: If Alphas make up 10% of shoppers, the rest of us are on the “B” Squad. The “B” Squad will wait to see who wins the war between VHS and BETA before buying a VCR. They want to own the new, shiny toys, but only after the Alphas have weighed in. On your website, try and offer direct access to your top sellers and top-selling brands. Also, when showing product details, offer a section that shows “People who bought this product also bought these products. Product popularity gives the “B” Squad shoppers peace of mind.
Congratulations! You’ve learned how to get your shoppers started on their journey. The way you merchandise your store or website can open up a world of happy surprises that lead to unexpected add-on sales and up-sells—and that’s something to celebrate.
Merchandising: a way of laying out your store or website so shoppers discover products and services they might not have planned to purchase
…tune in next week for more about Customer Discovery!