In-Store Retail Resurgence is Clear for All to See

The festive period has been and gone once more but the busy day-to-day of the retail world continues. Moving into the New Year presents a slight shift in attitudes towards the in-person shopping experience. According to recent findings from popular UK brand, The Perfume Shop, 72% of shoppers often seek additional information and services in-store. Likewise, the demand for visiting stores is also reflected in most customers’ weekly shopping habits, with almost 40% of UK consumers now visiting non-food stores once a week.

With brick-and-mortar stores continuing to remain popular for shoppers, retailers are turning to innovative retail technologies such as Mobile POS and omnichannel services to further enhance their in-store offerings to customers. Creating the ultimate customer experience will be crucial in keeping up the momentum of excelling sales on the shop floor.

With the popularity of bricks and mortar shopping continuing to prevail in the retail scene, what can retailers do to set themselves apart from the competition when it comes to the in-person shopping experience? And how are retail technologies paving the way for a modernized future in brick-and-mortar stores?

Providing the Best of Both Worlds

The influence of online shopping has had an impact on the development of the in-store experience. For bricks and mortar retailers to continue to compete with the fast pace of eCommerce, they must be able to emulate the speed and convenience of online shopping. Online, visitors can complete transactions in seconds, and have instant visibility of product availability. The challenge for online sales is that customers don’t immediately receive their product. If physical retailers can replicate the seamlessness of online shopping, they have the added benefit of also handing customers their desired items right away.

With the popularity of shopping in stores on the rise, a reliable and efficient payment process is crucial, in the second quarter of 2024 it was reported that 66% of customers opted for payment through Apple Pay or other mobile POS payments in stores or restaurants. Introducing innovative tech in stores, such as Teamwork Commerce’s Mobile POS solution, can allow retailers to create a speedy and smooth checkout service. Moreover, customers can have total access to flexible payment options anywhere in-store for a convenient and accessible shopping experience.

Likewise, to replicate the visibility of stock of online shopping in stores, retailers utilizing Mobile POS combined with Teamwork’s RFID stock counter app have access to regular reporting to keep track of inventory performance and consumer shopping trends.

These technologies ensure retailers have complete control over their whole supply chain and full visibility to modify inventory levels across the whole channel at any time. With immediate visibility of stock in-store associates can also share these insights with consumers. Therefore, customers receive accurate, up-to-date information when placing orders in-store or online, creating streamlined and reliable sales opportunities that leave customers feeling satisfied.

The Building Blocks of Customer Relationships

To effectively build a positive relationship with customers and keep up with the increasing demands of in-store foot traffic, retailers need to invest in an omnichannel strategy that customers can rely on. Teamwork’s advanced Omnichannel Order Management System (OMS), creates a streamlined experience to keep up with any customer’s busy schedule.

By utilizing this technology, retailers can offer services such as Buy Online, Pick up In-Store (BOPIS) and Buy Online, Return In-Store (BORIS) to create a prompt way for customers to collect and return items with little to no effort. Recent findings have also revealed that features such as BOPIS are expected to make up nearly 20% of all eCommerce spending by 2027. Retailers must ensure a diverse shopping experience across the board. Whether a customer is browsing in-store, trying on products or choosing to use features such as BOPIS, customers value brands that can cater to their shopping needs and enable high-quality experiences.

Additionally, streamlining operations, and implementing omnichannel services in-store can help take the pressure off in-store associates and allow them to focus on providing top-tier customer service. In 2024, 88% of customers think customer service is more important than ever. Therefore, for brands to continue to not only entice new customers but also build rapport with loyal ones, customer service needs to be at the forefront of any in-store retail strategy.

The Power Of In-Person Experiences

The in-person experience is becoming a pivotal part of a customer’s shopping journey. For many retailers, the growth of in-store shopping has led to brands needing to pull out all the stops to create memorable experiences. In particular, retailers have started introducing immersive experiences inside their stores, brands such as Acne Studios, Moose Knuckles and ASICS have started redefining their retail space to encourage engagement and provide a unique experience for customers.

However, to fully embrace the new era of in-person shopping, retailers must incorporate reliable retail technologies to accompany these immersive experiences. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platforms enable retailers to analyze customer preferences and behaviors. In doing so, brands can tailor discounts and promotions that resonate with shoppers, creating a truly bespoke experience that drives sales while encouraging customers to interact with brands and drive product purchases.

 From this data, retailers can also heighten a customer’s in-person shopping experience by recommending products based on browsing history or purchases made online or in-store. This personal approach allows store visitors to feel valued by brands and encourages customer loyalty.

Is Retail Heading Back to Bricks?

The in-store resurgence is continuing to help the retail industry evolve in 2025. Prioritizing in-store interactions as well as customer service will be key for retailers, so to ensure consumer satisfaction, modernizing the in-store experience is vital. Retail technologies such as Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and Omnichannel Order Management Systems (OMS) can open doors of opportunity for brands to go the extra mile for their customers.

Looking to create the ultimate in-store experience for your customers? Get in touch here.