Allison Schwartz with Bloomberg interviews Thomas Harpointner, CEO of AIS Media, Inc., regarding “must do’s” that small and medium sized retailers can implement for back-to-school and holiday online retail success in 2009. Harpointner’s comments include:
“An educated consumer is the best customer any retail store stands to gain,” says Harpointner. “Consumers are now going online and stores that haven’t fully embraced that concept and the internet are gravely mistaken. Once consumers learn how to use the internet to their advantage and discover its easy and effective they aren’t going to un-learn it. “ “This back-to-school season as well as holiday season will be all about finding the best deal,” asserts Thomas Harpointner. “Expect free shipping from companies — that will remain a top priority this holiday season. Retailers should offer extended return policies; by doing so, it serves as a great strategy to get consumers to buy early and as the holidays inch closer to get them to continue to buy.”
5 Must-Do’s For Small & Medium Sized Retailers:
- Implement a cross-channel marketing strategy: incorporate your online presence with your brick and mortar experience
- Cater to consumer habits: Inventory must be easy to find, view and purchase
- Promote with coupons: most consumers look for coupons prior to making a decision
- Embrace mobile: consumers price shop on their mobile handsets while inside the retail location which creates an opportunity to establish online presence and close the sale