How Small Businesses Are Creating a Safer Holiday Shopping Experience
This holiday season is unlike any other. After a challenging year, many small businesses are relying on revenues from holiday shopping to make up for lost income.
The good news is that new data suggest consumers are eager to support small businesses. According to Salesforce, 56% of consumers say they spend more at small businesses now than they did last year. In addition, an Adtaxi survey found that 74% of respondents aim to shop “small and local” this holiday season.
However, merchants need to do more than open their doors and hope for the best. Consumers are demanding that businesses keep in-person shopping safe by taking the necessary precautions to protect them from COVID-19 and prevent the spread of the virus.
For instance, a Salesforce study found that older consumers are more likely to support small businesses who have updated their shopping experiences to include COVID-19-era safety protocols, such as enforcing social distancing measures and offering a touch-free payment option.
Businesses that provide a safe shopping environment are better positioned to attract more customers and come out ahead. Thankfully, there are many ways to implement the necessary safety measures in your store quickly with minimal costs.
How to Create a Safe
Holiday Shopping Experience and Attract
More Customers Merchants can promote a safe shopping experience by adding signs, managing foot traffic and incorporating various hygiene protocols. Here are some quick ways to make the necessary adjustments to your store:
Place hand sanitizer dispensers at the entrance, next to the register and throughout the store. Also, implement mask-wearing rules and offer disposable masks for customers who don’t have one. Some businesses are even selling their own branded cloth masks to customers who prefer a reusable option.
To enforce social distancing, you can limit store capacity and implement one-way aisle traffic whenever possible to reduce crowding. You can also use ground markings to space out shoppers who are lining up to enter the store or waiting at checkout.
In addition, promote employee safety protocols and increase safety perception by engaging in ongoing cleaning practices throughout the day. Place signs around your business location to explain these safety measures, which can offer shoppers an added sense of reassurance.
Leverage Technology to Enhance Consumer Safety Measures
Many small businesses can benefit from the use of digital technologies to enhance in-person customer experience, reinforce safety measures and attract more shoppers. Here are some easy-toimplement ideas:
Send an email newsletter to your customers to announce safety measures such as more rigorous cleaning practices and employee safety protocols. You can also remind customers to wear a mask when they visit your business and share tips on how to keep themselves and other shoppers safe.
Offer curbside pickup and encourage customers to make their purchases ahead of time to reduce crowding. You can accept orders online, over the phone, via email or through messaging apps. Announce these alternative methods on your website and promote them through social media to make it as easy as possible for customers to buy from you.
You can also augment online ordering with video shopping technology to connect with customers and help them select items from your business from the comfort of their own homes. This allows you to replicate the one-to-one experience customers enjoy while helping to ensure that everyone stays safe.
Meanwhile, cafes, restaurants, food vendors and caterers can use touch-free menus for placing food orders so customers can place their orders outside the establishment to minimize crowding. You can also use digital signs, which are more visible and versatile than handwritten or printed signs, to reiterate your safety measures and announce daily specials to keep customers coming back.
Last but not least, pymts.com found that touch-free payment methods will continue to drive consumer safety preferences. For example, small businesses that accept PayPal QR Codes give customers a quick and touch-free way to pay, eliminating the need touch a point of sale device or hand over cash, enter a personal identification number (PIN) or sign for a transaction. Customers simply open the PayPal app, scan the unique code, and you, the seller, will quickly receive payment. PayPal is waiving seller transaction fees for QR code payments until 2021. (Does not apply to PayPal Here QR Code transaction. Other fees may apply and are subject to change.)
Merchants who implement this touchfree payment method don’t have to invest in additional hardware. By simply printing out and displaying a QR code, you can accept payment from shoppers — minimizing contact while adding a sense of safety that’ll attract more customers to your business.
Consumers are excited to support local businesses this holiday season but they want to feel safe while shopping in person. Thankfully, you can implement some quick, easy and low-cost measures to attract more customers. Also, don’t be afraid to think out of the box! A creative and personal touch can make your brand more memorable so you can attract new customers and improve loyalty.
Business owners can learn more about setting up and using PayPal QR Codes on PayPal.com.