Consumers can choose from a seemingly endless number of online and brick-and-mortar businesses when looking to buy everything from household goods and clothing to floral arrangements and furniture.
The huge pool of options can present an especially challenging scenario for independent retailers. They might not be able to match the low prices of the Amazons of the world or have as big a marketing and advertising budget as the big chains.
Yet, there is an often-deciding factor in consumer shopping decisions that costs nothing but hard work: peer reviews. People hold their friends and family’s opinions in the highest regard and will often pay a bit more to patronize stores, restaurants, and service providers that garner stellar reviews.
Customer service and communications are the most vital aspects of earning high praise. Ensuring that your staff greets customers warmly upon entrance, offers prompt and knowledgeable assistance, and maintains a professional demeanor are essential to a great report card.
Employees must also excel in housekeeping tasks. The appearance of a business reflects the pride – or lack thereof – that independent retailers take in their place of business. It is also important to realize that customers will not be shy to take and post photos of idle employees and dusty shelves.
Remember that peer reviews extend far beyond friends, family and acquaintances. People love posting shopping reviews online for friends and strangers alike. The last thing that a business owners needs is a frustrated customer relaying to the world that they could not tear employees away from their phones for help.
Store location and amenities are another positive feature that satisfied shoppers are apt to share with soon-to-be new customers. For instance, they may highlight that your establishment is close to a café or restaurant that make it an ideal stop in a day of planned activities. It also won’t go unnoticed whether your business has public restrooms.
It is very important for business owners to set alerts to track when their shops are mentioned in Google reviews, Reddit forums, and other platforms where judgments are passed, and future patronage is highly influenced. Restaurant owners, for instance, should familiarize themselves with Yelp, while clothing store operators should bookmark Trustpilot.
Many online review sites offer business owners the opportunity to engage with consumers, and they should take full advantage. A less-than-stellar review might be the result of a misunderstanding that can be easily resolved, resulting in an updated, positive ranking.
Independent retailers can also benefit from the fact that many big businesses now use chatbots and other forms of Artificial Intelligence to converse with consumers. Consumers’ appreciation for talking to a real person, and someone who works at the establishment rather than a call center, cannot be underestimated.
Providing an outstanding shopping experience goes beyond a customer’s decision to purchase an item while in the store. It reverberates through positive word-of-mouth and enthusiastic online reviews that cannot be matched by smooth and expensive mass advertising campaigns.
Trust, integrity, authenticity and other intangibles that shoppers feel about retailers through reading peer reviews ultimately win out the day over somewhat lower price points.
