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High Street remains shopper’s favourite this Christmas
“Feel good factor is all important to the Christmas shopping experience”
Tim Ogle, Retail Eyes
Milton Keynes, UK, 16th November 2009 – Retail Eyes, specialists in improving customer experience in the retail, leisure and hospitality sectors, has today released research that shows that Christmas shopping on the high street is still the nation’s preferred choice when compared to Christmas shopping online. From a sample of 4,905 shoppers in the Retail Eyes survey, 73% of shoppers claim that festive spirit and atmosphere are the most enjoyable aspects of shopping on the high street.
The Retail Eyes survey reveals that 52.9% of shoppers will do the majority of their Christmas shopping on the high street compared to only 28.2% online. The survey showed that the number of people undertaking the majority of their shopping online will increase in 2009 compared to 2008 by only 2.3%.
“Based on our research, it seems very unlikely that the mass exodus to online shopping will materialise as predicted this year and Christmas shoppers will, in the main, remain loyal to the high street,” said Tim Ogle, CEO of Retail Eyes. “A big part of Christmas shopping is getting in the festive spirit and customers can really only achieve this if they are physically going into stores to shop. Hearing ‘Last Christmas’ and seeing the in-store displays and the town’s Christmas lights all add to the unique experience of shopping at Christmas. Getting the festive ‘tone’ right in store is critical to enhancing the customer experience and increasing revenue.”
The Retail Eyes survey also shows that shoppers this year are not intending to hold out until the last minute to secure a bargain. The survey revealed that 48% of respondents have already started their Christmas shopping and only 6.5% are intending to leave it until the week before Christmas.
This evidence supports Sir Stuart Rose’s market prediction just a few weeks ago when he declared that M&S would avoid blanket sales this year: “Last year [consumers] were sitting with their backsides on sofas watching the television with their mouths open ... We intend to trade at full price this Christmas.”
Swine flu is expected to have little impact on shoppers this Christmas - 96% of shoppers said the threat of swine flu would have no impact on their choice to shop in-store as opposed to online.
However, the worst thing about Christmas shopping on the high street is the queues. According to the Retail Eyes survey 44% of respondents said this was the most frustrating thing about Christmas shopping in store.
“Queuing is also part of the Christmas shopping experience; however, it is well known that Brits are prepared to queue for something they really want. As long as staff are trained to manage queues effectively and maintain good communication with their customers then it doesn’t have to be a problem. It’s all about turning negatives into positives and keeping customers happy.” Tim comments.
Top 5 tips for high street retailers this Christmas
From Tim Ogle, CEO at Retail Eyes
Tip 1: Make good use of your temporary staff. Treat them like any other employee and make sure they get all the training they need to ensure their product knowledge and customer care is up to scratch. They are just as important at projecting your brand image as your regular employees to make sure they feel involved and valued.
Tip 2: Mind your manners! It’s the first rule of customer service; by giving customers a warm welcome and a friendly farewell you will be helping to build brand advocacy. Even when it’s frantic on the shop floor it’s important to be polite – it doesn’t cost a thing but poor manners can cost you a sale. Retail Eye’s research shows that 56%) of customers will leave an establishment before making an intended purchase if they get poor service – so good manners can have a direct impact on your bottom line.
Tip 3: When all around you are losing their heads…be calm. Shoppers can get fractious when Christmas shopping and sometimes staff bear the brunt of their frustration. The best way to deal with aggressive behaviour is to be calm, don’t raise your voice and treat the customer with empathy and understanding. It’s unlikely that they are will expect this response so you can turn the situation to your advantage.
Tip 4: Communicate. Long queues can infuriate customers, but unfortunately they are a par for the course when Christmas shopping. The key is to acknowledge this and apologise to customers and thank them for their patience. Generally, Britons are happy to queue up for something they value, but by communicating with them you can make their experience a much more positive one.
Tip 5: Don’t play cheesy Christmas tunes on a continuous loop. By the time your staff have listened to ‘Last Christmas’ for the 15th time that day, they will be likely to go mad! Try and mix it up with your usual music selection – I’m sure your customers will appreciate it too!
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