Your POS should create an immersive and efficient experience in-store
The ecommerce customer experience is often thought of as faster, more efficient, and overall easier than shopping in-store. You can shop from anywhere, products are (almost) always available, and there is no wait time for checkout.
Despite this, customers still return to stores to touch and feel products, get knowledgeable answers to product questions, and take their purchase home same-day. Emulating the online shopping experience in brick-and-mortar stores is key to taking the in-store experience to the next level.
The right point of sale system has the power to create an immersive, efficient experience in store. Customers can get exactly what they came for (even if it’s not in-store), checkout lines are non-existent, and sales pressure is completely removed.
This may seem just like wishful thinking, but it isn’t. The next-gen POS is capable of emulating all of the best parts of the ecommerce experience, right from the store floor. Still not convinced?
Let’s take a look at how the modern POS emulates three key experiences of online shopping.
Make in-store shopping as stress-free as online
Buying online is as easy as pressing a button. Phones, tablets, and computers can connect to online stores and make purchases from anywhere. In-store shopping could never achieve that, right? Well… sort of. In-store shopping comes with a certain sales pressure— associates rely on sales to make commissions, so customers may feel obligated to purchase even if they aren’t 100% sure. But, what if that pressure was eliminated? Let’s paint a picture.
A customer sees a pair of boots online that they fall in love with, but they’re not sure what size would fit best from this brand. So, they come in-store to try them on. An associate helps them find their size, and offers a variety of colors to choose from. With this new set of options, it’s hard for the customer to choose which pair or pairs they like best. Luckily, the associate senses the hesitation and offers to send the customer the links to each pair, so that they can decide in their own time and order right from their phone when ready.
Omnichannel POS systems that are equipped to send product links and credit the associate for the omnichannel purchase eliminate the pressure of buying in-store. Removing the sales pressure from the purchase makes the in-store experience as comfortable and stress-free as shopping online.
Ensure products are always available for purchase
With the ongoing modern-day supply chain issues and peak season upon us, inventory may not always be available on the floor. But, that doesn’t mean customers won’t come looking for it. Highly-personal items such as makeup, fragrances, or even furniture require testing before buying, and may have a floor model or tester, but no stock to purchase. Over a third of customers said out-of-stock items impacted their experience in-store. It’s important to have a system in place that eliminates further inconvenience by making the transactions as seamless as possible.
POS systems that can handle omnichannel sales in a single transaction make for a smoother checkout process for customers. Many legacy point of sale systems that are capable of omnichannel purchases require in-store and online sales to be wrung up in separate transactions. Customers expect the checkout process to last 5 minutes or less. For customers who already had to deal with an out-of-stock inconvenience, the extra 5-10 minutes it takes to ring up another transaction could make or break their relationship with the brand.
Having a point of sale system that can track and manage inventory across channels and accept payments for omnichannel purchases in one transaction shows the customer that the retailer values their time, and makes the best of an inconvenient situation.
Eliminate long checkout lines
Lengthy lines at checkout are a familiar and dreadful aspect of shopping in-store. They are a huge pain point for customers, so it’s unsurprising that 86% of them are willing to leave the store due to long lines. This ends up costing retailers billions in lost revenue every year. Busy stores are great, but only if they can support the volume of customers, especially as we reach peak shopping season. Understandably, the right point of sale system plays a big role in checkout wait times.
Modern stores empower associates with mobile POS systems that they can carry in hand. This gives them the ability to check customers out from anywhere in the store, so shoppers can be in and out quickly if they need. The stationery POS terminal limits the number of purchases that can be made at one time, causing long lineups in a busy store. Mobile point of sale allows multiple associates to handle multiple sales which keeps purchases flowing smoothly (and increases the number of sales at any given time).
POS mobility provides an additional layer of ease for customers in a time where the expectation for convenience is at a 5-year high.
Bringing it all together
With the right point of sale system, brick-and-mortar stores can achieve the level of convenience, efficiency, and availability of products that online stores offer by:
- Removing sales pressure by sending omnichannel purchasing options that credit the associate.
- Ensuring out-of-stock products are easy to purchase in-store in a single, omnichannel transaction.
- Eliminating long checkout lines by empowering associates with mobility.
See how Tulip’s SaaS POS solutions let world-class brands step over archaic monolithic systems with a new approach that combines the simplicity and scalability of a mobile, cloud-based solution with the depth of functionality top retailers need.
Contact us to see how a new POS can start helping you today!
