At the 2017 New York Tabletop show, GDA’s editorial director Warren Shoulberg hosted a panel with retailers Jung Lee, owner of the NYC boutique Jung Lee NY, and Debbie Propst, president of e-tailer One Kings Lane, to discuss e-tail versus retail.
The three discussed questions almost all retailers are trying to answer: how do we reach millennial shoppers? How do we bring customers in to our brick and mortar store when online juggernauts like Amazon can offer items at a discount? The answers are always evolving, but one thing remains true: different platforms mean a different audience.
Consider the customers who come into your store. Are they in there for a specific item, or are the leisurely shopping? Then consider the customers who visit your ecommerce site (if you have one). Are they making a purchase in a relatively short period of time? And what about your followers on social? How are they interacting with you online?
All this is to say, each platform brings in the opportunity to wow another, different customer. Whether your sales associates engage with shoppers face to face, show off new products and make suggestions, or if you provide an easy, pleasant online shopping experience, or if you give your followers ideas on how to style a new trend, you are reaching a new consumer. Try to keep this in mind when you are tailoring your platforms with many different shoppers in mind.
Check out more insights from the E-Tail vs. Retail panel at the New York Tabletop show.
