Return customers are one of the key drivers of success in the apparel industry. Not only do they account for a full third of all revenue from online shopping, but they also spend three times more on average than first-time customers.
Repeat business doesn’t happen by accident. So how do apparel brands go about nurturing those relationships, especially when shoppers bounce between brick-and-mortar locations and digital storefronts? Having the right tools can go a long way.
In this blog post, we’ll talk about the issues that face every apparel business when it comes to building customer loyalty and brand love, and how finding the right POS system can help address them.
Using data to give shoppers a tailor-made experience
Let’s say a customer buys something in one of your brick-and-mortar locations and then, two weeks later, they decide they want to make an order on your ecommerce site. A few days after that, they place an order through your Instagram ad. Linking those three transactions together is vital, as those purchases will inform how you build a thorough profile of a repeat customer, including how much they spend, what they’re interested in, and when they’re buying something.
But not every POS system can make those connections in a simple, streamlined way. And those shortcomings can create a friction-filled journey for your customer and deny you a full picture of who your customers are.
The right POS system can deepen your relationship with your customers, and allow you to scale without ever losing that personalized touch. Shopify POS can sync customer profiles between online and in-person, reward loyalty with discount codes, and equip sales associates with personalized product recommendations for customers, all of which can help augment a customer’s personalized experience and encourage repeat sales.
Connecting the dots between online and in-store
Apparel customers don’t shop in a single place anymore. They want to browse different items online, go into the store to try them on, and then finally make their purchase on their phone on the way home. Almost three-quarters of ecommerce customers are omnichannel shoppers now, and one in every four apparel customers shop both online and in-store or buy online and pickup in-store (BOPIS).
The omnichannel reality for the apparel industry is one of the most challenging sets of variables to wrangle, and not being able to give customers a consistent experience—whether they’re shopping online or in-person—can have a negative impact on repeat business. An optimal POS system can help deal with reconciling different touchpoints and fulfilling orders across channels, as well as offer in-demand features like BOPIS that makes shopping seamless, frictionless, and memorable.
The right POS system can also help harmonize the hybrid shopping experience. Shopify POS allows apparel merchants to facilitate in-store returns or exchanges for online purchases, and helps create an “endless aisle” for retailers who want to give customers the ability to buy something in store and have it shipped directly to a convenient address.
It can also produce multi-channel gift cards so that customers can use them online or in store without sacrificing convenience. Shopify customers report on average 30% YoY growth in revenue by businesses using Shopify for their in-store and online sales. This shows how simplifying the omnichannel shopping experience can draw in more repeat customers and boost your bottom line.
Keeping customer favorites in stock
Knowing how much you need of a product at any given time is one of the largest challenges facing any apparel merchant, and that task has only grown more daunting as omnichannel selling becomes the norm. It used to be that knowing if you had a certain piece of clothing in stock in a store was enough. Now, in order to succeed you need to reconcile supply levels across product variants and channels, which means even more plates to keep spinning.
The right POS system can help streamline inventory management and optimize those stock levels across locations without skipping a beat. You no longer have to “check in the back” for a certain size or color and keep a shopper waiting, creating friction that could cost you repeat business.
Plus, you can plan for busier shopping periods to make sure you stock the items customers want with the staff needed to meet the higher demand. Shopify POS can help with inventory forecasting and management tools so that you’re not caught flat footed when a certain item turns into a hot commodity. That way, you can woo an influx of new customers in peak seasons with a smooth experience and keep them coming back for more.
Show up for your customers with the right POS system
Shoppers value (and remember) apparel brands that make every purchase feel seamless, intuitive, and tailored to their needs. Whether it’s getting personal with your customer base, helping them shop the way they want to, or making sure their favorite item is in stock, the right POS is a vital tool in turning first-time shoppers into loyal fans. Shopify POS can help streamline and supercharge your relationship with your customers, deliver on their expectations, and ultimately help to build a loyal community of apparel buyers.
