One of the defining events of 2020 was the COVID-19 pandemic and the resultant global lockdown. This will probably have implications that will last well into the decade. The situation is rapidly changing and today, people are able to move out and office workers are definitely facing challenges working remotely. People are slowly coming to terms with the realities of our interconnected world and we are living in unprecedented times might be an understatement. This isolation and uncertainty has influenced how people shop and make buying decisions. From bulk buying to online shopping people are changing what they are buying, when and how. Brands are having to adapt and be flexible to meet changing needs.
Panic buying and coronavirus
As a response to the lockdown people began stocking up. Stores both brick and mortar and online were struggling to keep up with the demand. The lockdown reduced the access to the stores and people began to look for online means of ordering essentials.
Preparedness
For local stores and departmental stores, the lockdown was something that many weren’t prepared for. People buying off the shelves were now expecting an online place to order groceries, school supplies and other essential items. Well, stores eventually caught up and were looking for quick solutions to get online and serve their customers – while following all the mandates of the locked down world.
Lokaly
Mobile apps like Lokaly ensured that stores and local businesses got a platform to quickly put them out there – online. They could simply register and begin selling. Building an online presence was never so easy. Customers too got easy access to their favourite stores and could place their orders and get items delivered to their doorstep.
Unprecedented times brought about unprecedented solutions and even those businesses who never dreamed of being online were now ‘completely’ or partially online. Well, it probably worked out for the best. What the near future holds no one knows, but technology and mobile solutions are definitely the key to a successful future..
When it comes down to being quick and effective, there’s nothing that beats mobile. So, even for departmental stores and local stores, going online and moving from a physically present to a virtually available store is one of the easiest way to get quick sales.
Lokaly works in multiple ways. It offers an opportunity to create an online marketplace and manage transactions conveniently. How you manage your business on Lokaly is up to you. For customers, it’s an easy entry into your store and pick the products of their choice and checkout instantly. It’s all in all a great recipe to drive sales in three days!
Here are 7 fast and easy and effective ways to get your first sales using Lokaly in 3 days:
Lokaly is a gateway between you and your customers. It’s the one missing piece that puts together all the essentials that you need to grow your store and improve sales in a short period of time. It reduces both time and efforts to get customers through your door and to offer them the shopping experiences they will remember.
It seems overwhelming – to take an entire store online. But, that’s just it. It’s not as overwhelming as it seems. The cost is one of the major factors that make mobile and web stores seem out of reach for small businesses and local departmental stores. This is exactly where Lokaly can help. Lokaly empowers sellers to derive maximum benefits from the Digital movement. Local departmental stores can easily go online within a few clicks and set up their mobile presence. This takes their products right into the hands of customers.
The good part is, the pricing is seller friendly. If you wish to take your store online with Lokaly, there are a number of ways to make this possible. Firstly, choose what kind of store you would like to set up. Here’s what Lokaly has to offer to make your transition online less daunting in terms of the price you pay for the technology and software.
Lokaly is a ready to use mobile store where departmental stores can easily create their stores and serve their local customers. Here are the pricing models For B2C:
Lokaly is a complete package for those who wish to start quick and sell fast. It is based on a subscription model and allows users to pay as they use. It has customizable features and can be made to look unique for every store that is created.
In times of crisis – when the whole world is ‘at home’ and there is a tinge of fear to venture out into the streets, departmental stores took the initial hit. Lokaly is one way to take your products to your customers – especially since they cannot come to you!
Just about anyone can put together an online store – but, how do you entice your customers and urge them to buy NOW and place repeat purchases? Here are a few pointers:
Flash sales: Flash sales are short, time bound sales often combined with a limited product stock which creates urgency in the minds of customers to buy now rather than later.
Free samples or low-priced products: You can ship your products directly to customers. Once they get used to the quality you offer, they will definitely be enticed to buy more.
Automated re-sales for replenishment: Selling products that are definitely require replenishment is an opportunity to automate and schedule remarketing campaigns to re-engage customers and encourage them to refill.
Multi-purchase deals: In this method, you can offer customers a deal if they purchase multiple products.
Exclusive or complementary cross-sells: Strategically position a product alongside the product a customer has in their shopping cart to improve or partner with it.
Bundle best-sellers with high margin products: You can take a small cluster of products, bundle them and offer them at a collective price which is cheaper than if a customer was to purchase each of them individually.
Limited time coupons or discounts: Urgency is a powerful psychological marketing tactic. Limited time coupons or discounts are very effective in creating this urgency.
Cross-platform selling: Along with your website, you can sell your products on social media, eBay, Amazon etc.
Live chat engagement: Live chat gives customers a feeling of immediate action. It definitely helps boost sales.
Get personal with recommendations: Personalized recommendations add to customer experiences and hence boost sales.
Run an influencer campaign: Consumers want to hear from people they idolize. It builds trust in the brand and products – hence boosts sales.
The sheer size of the opportunity is unlimited – you can imagine and execute innovative deals and discounts to keep your customers engaged and coming back for repeat purchases!
Lokaly offers a variety of discounts, deals, and coupons to attract your customers. Check-out how Lokaly can be useful for your business at https://lokaly.us/
While it’s normal to direct your attention to attracting new clients, strengthening your bond with existing customers is even more important. Even 5% increase in customer retention rates lifts the profits by 25% to 95%. A loyal customer is not only repeat-purchasing your product or service but is telling others about your brand too. If you have invested in earning a customer, make sure that you retain them too – and keep them coming back several times!
Build a relationship – don’t just sell
After a sale, instead of focusing on where your next sale is, try to devote resources for building continued relationships. Keeping constant communication with the customer is the key, however, there is a fine line between keeping in touch and becoming a nuisance. Have purposeful and meaningful communications with customers.
Keep the experience fresh and relevant
Continuous improvement in the offerings is the key to creating a fresh customer experience. Remember to re-connect with existing customers with your new offerings. Changes and updates are a good way to interact with customers.
Assume that they won’t remember you
If they shopped with you once, it’s not guaranteed that they will think of you the next time they need the same product or service. Make an attempt to imprint your brand on their minds. Here – out of sight is out of mind!
Make it easy for customers to contact you
Avoid sending lengthy informative emails. Send simple messages so that they are urged to contact you for the details. It’s a great way to keep them engaged with your brand.
Show your appreciation
When customers feel appreciated and see that they are important to you, they tend to be more loyal to your brand.
To grow sustainably, acquiring new customers is not enough. For life-long value, brands need to increase customer retention rates and keep them coming back.
The customer always looks out for the best deals and at the same time best platform where they would like to shop again! Use Lokaly solution which has proven customer experience and best deals to attract your customers.
