in todays retail landscape, high street shop owners are facing a constant narrative: online is winning, local is losing. The reality? The game has not been lost, it’s just changed.
Yes, many of the online giants like Amazon offer convenience, breadth and speed that smaller retailers are unable to match. But price and product are only a small part of the customer equation. For independent retailers and high street stores in places like Halifax and many towns across the UK, the winning move is to not play the same game, but to bend the rules to make it fair for you.
Carry on reading below to learn how local shops can compete for the market share without a race to the bottom on price.
Compete on Experience, Not Just Product
Customers remember how they felt and the experience they had far more than what they paid. You might not be able to offer the cheapest price, but you can offer the best experience.
In-store, this means having warm, knowledgeable staff, a calm atmosphere, the ability to touch, try and ask questions. Having this human element is what helps turn browsers into loyal customers.
We’ve interviewed many customers who have repeated the same things to us about many smaller stores, “I didn’t feel welcomed”. This is from members of staff that are stood talking to their friends and not wanting to help other customers. This is one of the biggest reasons many customers will not make a purchase.
Curate, Don’t Catalogue
Online stores stock everything, but this doesn’t mean that you need to.
Successful independent retailers don’t try to replicate scale, they focus on curation. Stock what matters to your ideal customer, By focusing on relevant, seasonality or local tastes, you give customers the sense that the hard work has been done for them. Being careful on what you have in stock also helps improve inventory control and margin by cutting down the dead stock and unnecessary choice of items.
Own your Local Identity
Bigger brands will try to feel local through their marketing. You are local and you should use this to your advantage.
Shops that reflect the town’s culture, collaborate with local makers and participate in community events have an edge that Amazon never will be able to get. Whether it’s partnering with nearby cafes for promotions or highlighting local talent in your display, being able to be authentic builds a connection.
You need to make your store feel like it belongs in the town, not just in it.
Use Technology Where It Matters
Many people think they need an online store to benefit from being digital, but this is not the case. Technology does not need to be a replacement, just an amplifier of your businesses strengths.
Social Media – Posting regularly on Instagram, Facebook or TikTok with direct messages for enquiries is a great way to connect with local people. You can also utilise this for click and collect, let them tell you what they want and what size, set a time frame for how long you will hold it.
Digital receipts – If your EPOS system allows it, try to collect emails where you can for digital receipts, even better if you can get them to agree to marketing emails, you can then follow up with offers and new product launches.
By doing small touches and changes to your technical stack can be a brilliant way to increase sales without overwhelming your operations.
Make Loyalty Tangible and Personal
Big brands are using apps and points and automating their loyalty schemes. You can do it better and with personal touches to improve your in-store experience.
By utilising items such as stamp cards, custom designed with your logo of course, or a handwritten notes, helps make your customer feel part of your ‘family’. Offering a freebie or discount after multiple visits, gives customers a reason to return to your store, because who doesn’t love a freebie.
Doing simple gestures to your customers can help them remember that you are an independent retailer, not another retail giant. Real loyalty is built on feeling valued, not by accumulating points, and One-to-one relationships are your superpower.
Make Loyalty Tangible and Personal
Stop thinking of your marketing as advertising, think of it as being a story teller, get people excited in your journey and show them who you are.
By showing the behind the scenes of your shop, spotlighting loyal customers and celebrating the small wins, you can bring people into the fold.You can use instagram like your shop window, giving potential customers a glimpse into your business.
Consisentcy is key, adding one post now and again is not a strategy, it’s a waste of time. A reliable authentic voice that is constantly reinforcing who you are and what you offer is vital to your marketing strategy.
Final Thought
You don’t need to try be the next online giant, fighting them at logistics or trying to match their prices. They have been built on these models and this is what’s made them who they are. But one thing they are unable to match is your ability to create connection, context and community.
You may have heard the phrase “Retail is Dying” the truth is, it isn’t, what’s dying is bland retail and lazy approaches. By being a local shop with vision, agility and authenticity will not just give you what you need to survive, but will help you win.
