Building a Superior Integrated Shopping Experience

By Allison Flatjord —

A recent national shopper study confirmed what many of us have been tracking. A staggering 81 percent of consumers research their planned purchases online before ever stepping into the store. As an independent brick-and-mortar home improvement business owner, you have an incredible opportunity to drive more sales by leaning into this trend by meeting your customers online and extending the shopping journey to an in-store experience with an opportunity for add-on sales.

Here are some proven best practices that will help you make the most of this growth opportunity:

Show them what they want to see.

Generally, by the time your customers reach your website, they already know exactly what product—and even what brand—they’re looking for. They’re ready to make an online purchase, or they want to ensure that when they walk into your store, the products they need will be there. It’s important that your website includes a comprehensive, up-to-date display of what you have in stock. Not only does this build trust with your customers, it helps establish your business as the reliable, go-to local resource for hardware products.

Cross-sell when you can.

A common misconception is that when it comes to driving add-on sales, online shopping can’t compete with the in-store browsing experience. The truth is, many online shoppers will continue to shop after the products they came to find are already in their cart. Cross-selling is a powerful way to guide your customers to relevant products to add to their cart. Project lists can be created and provided to show customers everything they’ll need to finish a job. For example, kitchen faucet purchases could prompt a popup list that includes seals, plumbers’ tape, tools, supply lines, and more. The list could even include related items, such as garbage disposals and soap dispensers.

Continue Reading in the March 2023 Issue of The Hardware Connection