Today's retail environments are more digital than ever.
Shoppers don't only make purchases in-store. They'll browse your website, download your mobile app, and can easily compare your offers with competitors in a few clicks online.
Because of this, keeping customers engaged is no longer as simple as offering convenience and good prices. Modern retailers need to enhance the customer journey post-purchase to retain customers. And these interactions must be relevant and personalized to each individual to make the experience distinctive. 91% of consumers are more likely to shop at brands that remember them and provide relevant offers and recommendations.
But like many retailers, you might not know where to start.
Post-purchase marketing is how you interact and engage with customers after they've made a purchase. Some common examples of this include:
Post-purchase marketing is focused on influencing customer behavior. For example, encouraging customers to return to your store, or spend more the next time they do. Let's explore how receipts can be a valuable starting point to enhance post-purchase marketing.
Every customer receives a receipt, and this makes them your golden ticket to customer engagement. But how do you make sure your customers don't just stuff your receipts into their pockets?
Personalized receipts are a great method of engaging your customers. You can collect a variety of customer data, such as purchase behavior, basket size, and average spend to tailor receipts to individuals.
Then, you can include offers or coupons on your receipts that are relevant to what a shopper would usually purchase. Your customers are now more likely to remember your retailer post-purchase, redeem the coupon, or revisit your store to recieve more offers.
How else can receipts be used to enhance the customer experience post-purchase?
The interaction your customers have with cashiers at the till is important. It's an opportunity to talk directly to customers, leave a lasting impression, and inform shoppers about your marketing campaigns.
Your cashier can provide a receipt in-store with your coupon printed on it. Then, they can point out the coupon to the customer and inform them about the next steps to redeem the offer. If the customer has any questions, your cashier can answer them and explain the benefits of the coupon.
Shoppers are more likely to acknowledge or redeem a coupon when it’s clearly explained to them. And this type of interaction also makes the coupon offer more memorable.
Considering 82% of U.S. consumers and 74% of non-U.S. consumers want more human interaction from customer experience, the cashier-customer relationship will also keep customers engaged with your retailer. Helpful, friendly, and informative interactions will make them think more positively about your store, and great coupons and offers will improve customer satisfaction.
Modern retailers offer digital receipts in addition to paper receipts. Cashiers simply ask the customer for their email address, and the receipt can be quickly sent to their inbox without the need to print.
Digital receipts have the same look and feel as physical receipts, just in a digital format, which enhances brand consistency and familiarity for the customer.
This is a handy way to collect customer data, and gives you another channel you can use to engage them. Customers have the convenience of receiving their receipt digitally, and can also opt-in to marketing communications from your retailer.
Post-purchase, your retailer could send relevant information to the shopper, for example, more information about products that they have recently purchased. Or you could send spend-stretch offers that encourage shoppers to spend more.
If you've included a personalized coupon on the digital receipt, your customer can also easily access it via their inbox.
73% of consumers say that experience is an important factor in their purchasing decisions. So, it’s never been more important to provide a consistent and relevant customer journey, especially across multiple retail channels.
You can provide a more consistent experience by using receipts to link up your retail channels. For example, you could use messaging on your receipt to drive awareness of your mobile app. Your retailer could provide a coupon, say 20% when you use our mobile app for the first time, to encourage shoppers to try it out.
With this persuasive offer, customers will be more likely to explore your mobile app channel post-purchase.
Ultimately, receipts are an effective way to put your marketing messaging in front of your customers. Whether customers recieve a physical printed receipt or a digital version, you can include coupon marketing, offers, or personalized messaging that'll make your retail brand more memorable – so customers are more likely to return post-purchase.