The retail industry is among the hardest hit by the recent outbreak of Coronavirus. The market is under a lot of stress right now, but that doesn’t mean there are no opportunities to seize. Demand for certain items is still high and despite the extra challenges, you can still serve customers in different parts of the country.
What you need to do is adapt to changes happening in the market. Retailers and e-commerce businesses are responding to the crisis differently, but two things are certain – people shop more online and they shop more in general when they stay home for longer. These ideas will help you capture these opportunities.
Direct Delivery
Shipping is always a challenge when you run an e-commerce business or are transitioning to online selling as a retail company. Third-party service providers are the best partners to have if you are just getting started, but you can go a step further and create your own delivery fleet.
Direct delivery is good for catering customers near where you operate. Customers are happier when they are able to receive the goods that they order faster, and direct delivery is the only way you can deliver that experience fluidly.
Yes, there are some preparations to make before you can deliver your products independently. For example, you have to get delivery vans and look for a suitable van insurance quote. You also have to find drivers and advertise the new delivery method.
Still, some of these tasks are easy to tackle. With finding the right van insurance quote, for instance, you can rely on Quotezone.co.uk. The site is a prime tool to use if you are looking for the best insurance deals on the market.
Boost User Experience
As mentioned before, the market is under a lot of stress, which means you have to go the extra mile to stay ahead of your competitors. In today’s climate, the best way to do that is by perfecting the user experience (UX) you deliver to customers.
Boosting UX is not just about making shopping more comfortable; it is also about making sure that goods are delivered quickly, that customers can get the aftersales support they need, and that the whole experience of interacting with your brand is a positive one.
That whole experience includes how your brand communicates with customers beyond the sales funnel, and vice versa. Leverage social media and other channels to stay in touch with customers and ensure good UX.
Stay Contextual
Last, but certainly not least, you have to keep your retail business contextual in today’s climate. For example, you should consider pivoting or expanding your catalogue if the products and services you sell are not essential to customers right now.
Shifts in how you communicate, changes to business workflows, and other steps that realign the whole company are also good. Being contextual means positioning your business as a relevant entity that customers can rely on during and after the crisis.
With these three tips in mind, you don’t have to worry about surviving the current crisis. The market will get better – it is already showing signs of bouncing back – and you will be in the best position to capitalise on the upcoming reversal when you implement these ideas.
