Many says that January deserves its own year ender, after everything that’s happened ever since this year started; Catastrophes around the world, threats of world war, death of very well-known celebrities, and many more. These events have affected the planet and its people in different kinds of ways. One of the sectors that have witnessed the impact of these circumstances is the retail industry. They see that along with the trends, these social happenings are also affecting the buying behavior of their customers. However, now that we are only halfway through the second month of this year, there’s still a lot of possibilities and what might happen on the following months is still uncertain.
Here we will discuss some facts that will help businesses prepare for their success and growth.
Among the retail consumer trends, convenience remains one of the most important and this 2020, its meaning and the challenges that it brings is what retailers are focusing on. For them, it is also valuable to understand how the changes in their customers’ expectations, especially with the convergence of supply chain, digital technologies, and other innovations.
But then again, retailers are required to have a strategic plan that is open for adjustments. This year is giving retailers an opportunity to review their plan to survive the possible downfall of the overall economy.
Some of the wise moves that businesses can do is to embrace technology and automation to boost growth, and consider establishing partnerships. This is to cope with the continuous advancement of technology. Meanwhile, understanding their expectations for an exceptional customer service and experience is what will help overcome uncertainty, however. There is influence from the outside so retailers are faced with a challenge of making a decision on what they must do to make profit during these modern times.
There may be lots of definition of convenience. But generally, people are looking for things that simplifies life while providing positive experience. Now, what’s more important to them is not the actual buying of items but using them. So, they also tend to outsource services that will get them those products.
With some trade tariffs going around the world, the growth on the general economy deteriorates this could also mean slowing down of consumer spending growth. This is primarily due to the gains in the labor market that haven’t translated to strong wage growth, the possible slowing down of disposable income, and the escalation of trade tensions which could threaten growth and employment.
2020 offers countless convenient options that will help improve the retail experience. But first, retailers must understand that convenience about giving ease to the overall consumer experience while providing extra services. People should also understand that the brand promise is an important consideration when investing in convenience and even if your organization is willing to invest, you still have to know the willingness of the customers to pay for your products and services.
Determine your shoppers’ willingness to pay for convenience and your organization’s willingness to invest. Take note that those who will rule this year will also win the privilege of shaping the future of retail. So, to be a game changer in the industry, you must first familiar yourself with the rules of the gaming no matter how many times they change.