GeneratingLoyal Customers: Strategies for Capturing Undecided Browsers Again and Again
In a recent webinar, Mike McNamee from Upside and Allison Garcia from Heritage Grocers Group discussed strategies to bring back uncommitted shoppers, those who shop infrequently, in the retail industry. The event, sponsored by an unspecified entity, focused on understanding the behavior of these shoppers and provided fresh insights on retail customer retention and repeat visits.
The webinar highlighted the significance of occasional shoppers, as they represent a meaningful share of visits in retail. However, these shoppers often miss out on potential revenue for retailers, and their behavior is often overlooked by retailers.
The key strategies discussed in the webinar include personalized marketing, targeted exclusive offers, seamless omnichannel experiences, and convenience-enhancing features. By tailoring messages and offers to occasional shoppers based on their past purchases and browsing behavior, retailers can increase engagement and conversion.
Exclusive offers for returning customers, such as bounce-back coupons, free shipping, or bundle discounts based on previous buys, can also be effective in bringing back uncommitted shoppers. Adding urgency to these offers through countdown timers or scarcity messages can prompt faster action.
Loyalty programs can encourage occasional shoppers to become repeat buyers by rewarding points, discounts, or perks tied to repeat visits or purchase frequency. This makes these shoppers feel valued and incentivizes continued engagement.
The webinar also emphasized the importance of omnichannel integration, ensuring shoppers have a consistent and seamless experience across online platforms, mobile apps, and physical stores. This reduces friction for repeat visits.
Convenience features, such as "reorder past purchases" or streamlined checkout, including flexible payment options like "Buy Now, Pay Later," can also help reduce barriers to buying again.
Event-based engagement, using seasonal sales, product launches, or special events to create excitement and offer occasions that encourage occasional shoppers to return and engage with the brand, was another strategy discussed in the webinar.
The webinar aimed to offer retailers practical strategies to bring back uncommitted shoppers profitably and at scale, with the goal of closing the retention gap and driving repeat visits. Although these strategies are broadly effective, their impact depends on accurate customer data, appropriate segmentation, and execution quality.
It is worth noting that half of new customers in retail churn after their first month of visits. By implementing these strategies, retailers can nurture occasional shoppers with relevant, convenient, and rewarding experiences that transform them into loyal repeat customers, reducing churn and boosting lifetime value.
The webinar is now available on-demand for those who missed it. Retailers looking to improve customer retention and increase repeat visits are encouraged to watch and learn from the insights shared in the discussion.
- The webinar indicated that strategies such as personalized marketing, targeted exclusive offers, seamless omnichannel experiences, and convenience-enhancing features could be effective in the finance sector, where uncommitted shoppers, often overlooked, represent a significant portion of visits and potential revenue.
- Retailers in the industry, particularly those in finance or related sectors, may find value in loyalty programs, event-based engagement, and offering convenience features, like "reorder past purchases" or flexible payment options, to attract and retain uncommitted shoppers, thereby minimizing churn and increasing lifetime customer value.
