THE STORE HAS MORE.

Consumers defected to online shopping during the pandemic because there was no choice. Today, they are returning to in-store shopping in droves and have new expectations about what a store should look and feel like—and what the experience delivered there should do for them.

Consumer mindsets and market forces keep shifting, but one certainty remains unshaken: Brick and mortar matters more—perhaps more than ever before.

Be that destination that patients trust, and indeed you shall succeed. Don’t miss out—because consumers are primed to buy today.

Here, EB shares seven outside-the-box strategies to power your in-store prowess in the new reality of 2021 and beyond.

RETAIL STRATEGY #1:
SAFETY IS STILL STRATEGIC.

Brick-and-mortar stores will play a different role in the customer journey going forward, says Deloitte in its “Post-Covid Strategies for Retailers” report. Physical stores are taking on new importance, and safety protocol remains paramount for the foreseeable future.

More than half (51%) of U.S. consumers Deloitte polled in late July say they have concerns about their physical well-being, and a larger group, 57%, say they are concerned for the health of their families. Yet, 75% say they feel safe going to stores, meaning stores are obliged to maintain the safety protocols they’ve established to earn that trust.

One way to continue building this goodwill is to broadcast ongoing safety protocols. Shops that require all workers to be vaccinated should publicize that policy, as it brings an extra measure of comfort to all customers, not just those who are pro-vaccine. Even as the back-to-school wave calms down, questions and concerns will bubble up for months to come as parents navigate new rules for their school-aged children.

RETAIL STRATEGY #2:
POWER UP PRE-SHOPPING.

Prospective new patients will visit your website first before setting foot in the store. Count on that. If the site has not been refreshed for a while, now is the time. Adding new frame styles to your store’s offering? Post images of those exciting looks on the website, so consumers know you have the latest looks, and they can pre-shop styles before visiting the store.

RETAIL STRATEGY #3:
FOCUS ON PERSONAL SHOPPING.

Personal styling consultations are not new, but they went virtual and viral over the past 18 months. Optical shops that had not offered such services pre-Covid dipped their toes in with sparkling success while others expanded and got more creative about how they catered to patients.

Even Walgreens, which got into virtual eyewear fittings when it partnered with For Eyes, expanded that program this past spring.

ECPs can leverage their shop spaces by allocating a portion to personal consultations, private and unrushed time for styling advice. More time and attention = more multiple-pair sales.

RETAIL STRATEGY #4:
LIVESTREAM STORE EVENTS.

Bring the shop, your employees, and unique expertise into the homes of customers by livestreaming videos and store events they can view in real time on phones and desktops. A smartphone is the only equipment needed.

From the comfort of your shop, showcase selected eyewear styles, dish about favorite designers, consider hosting giveaways, or conduct a styling consultation with a real (not camera-shy) patient to create buzz. It’s a way to stay engaged with your customers, safely, at a time when no one can predict whether lockdowns may be lurking around the bend.

Experts suggest that event livestreaming, such as broadcasts hosted via Facebook Live, run at least 10 minutes in duration. This generates the volume of digital information that search engine algorithms need to rank your livestream higher in search results. Don’t forget to promote livestreams in advance for maximum views, which boosts search rankings further. Practice with a dry run, but relax, smile, and have fun. Perfection is not the goal; it’s authenticity that reigns.

RETAIL STRATEGY #5:
SOCIAL SELLING CREATES COMMUNITY.

Social selling is powered by mobile apps, but it’s the atmosphere of your brick-and-mortar shop—that familiar friendly space patients recognize—that provides the backdrop consumers see on their phones.

If being on camera is not your thing, recruit the fashionista on your staff who loves to chat about eyewear and fine detailing. That stylist describes various frame features a la Home Shopping Network, just as actress Jennifer Lawrence did in the 2015 film biopic “Joy.” Meanwhile, viewers logged onto the app post remarks digitally, such as “love it!” or “must have!” and can make purchases through the app, too.

Social selling technology platforms also enable consumers to interact with each other via live posts, creating a social vibe and sense of community that’s warm and inviting. Apparel boutique Pink Coconut saw sales surge 20% month after month once it introduced live social selling.

RETAIL STRATEGY #6:
BUY NOW, PAY LATER.

Multiple-pair purchases—the mainstay of selling success—are more tantalizing than ever with growing awareness of new flexible payment plans. Patients not yet indoctrinated with the “buy now, pay later” (BNPL) option may be wary at first, but who is better able to explain the benefits: your trusted and knowledgeable staff or fine print on a website?

Here’s where brick-and-mortar shops shine. When patients can speak with your staff in person and ask their own questions about BNPL—with options such as CareCredit focused on the vision care space—their concerns fade away. BNPL, which breaks a payment into interest-free installments, makes multiple-pair purchases more manageable than cash and traditional credit cards, particularly for consumers who have lower credit scores.

If competitors in your market are not yet offering BNPL, this can be a first-mover advantage.

Eyemart Express, which is among those offering this deferred payment option, said BNPL customers spend more over time—on multiple pairs and upgrades like UV coatings—than patients using traditional payment.

The overall $226 billion spent globally this year via buy now, pay later on all product categories is projected to reach $995 billion by 2026, according to data provided from Juniper Research.

Amp up in-store prowess because consumers have become highly adaptable and ready to reward themselves with extras, having deprived themselves of purchases they typically make. An extra pair of sunglasses suddenly feels...like the right thing to do.

RETAIL STRATEGY #7:
MAKE YOUR STORE POP UP.

Establishing a pop-up retail location does not have to be an elaborate undertaking and the strategy does not need to be long term. There are lots of spaces available indoors, outdoors, store-in-store, and in multishop marketplaces like the famous souks in Morocco.

The fun nature of pop-ups creates buzz, a sense of exclusivity, and FOMO (fear of missing out) because the lease term is likely short. Pop-ups can serve as a test site for new retail concepts—or a liquidation channel for styles that are not moving.

DENISE POWER is a Chicago-based writer whose business journalism career started in optical before stretching into all retail verticals, covering innovations in technology, marketing, and digital. Her work has appeared in fashion trade journals Women’s Wear Daily and Daily News Record, Supermarket News, and Executive Technology, among others.