Issue link: https://www.ascpskindeepdigital.com/i/291744
Create your free business website! www.ascpskincare.com 13 Retaining Customers in the Age of Online Shopping BY ANNET KING ith the consumer's new ability to choose between her computer screen and your cash register, retailing and service may appear to have been split into two separate worlds. But it's a misperception for small business owners to view online shopping as a competitor to traditional product sales in your reception area. In fact, success awaits when you meld the two . There is no turning back the clock to the days before online shopping, but those of us in the wellness and personal care space have a unique opportunity to make the most of in-store retailing because the nature of our business is innately tactile and intimate. Here's what you need to know to get the best of both worlds. Clients are Connected We all know this. It's no longer even really a "trend," it's a reality. A 2013 United Nations study found that 6 billion of the world's 7 billion people have access to a cell phone—that's more than the number who have access to indoor plumbing. Your potential client doesn't only use her phone to find you, check your website, and prowl around your social media presence. She also uses it to research the products you sell, to comparison-shop and price-check, and to read and post reviews. To be in the game, you have to develop your digital identity and present it consistently across all platforms. You must also continually build your expert knowledge of ingredients, products, treatments, and the latest advances in skin care. If you don't use these opportunities, something is sure to slip through the cracks, and that "something" could be your profit margin. W