Store Locator: A Key Touchpoint

A recent Netsertive survey tells us that as many as 80% of consumers research brands and products online, but end up buying in-store. As much as the rise of online shopping continues to be emphasized, the numbers speak clearly: physical stores are far from obsolete. People still love going to the store to complete their purchases, even if they’ve likely consulted good old internet before setting off.

It therefore becomes essential, especially for brands with multiple stores, not only to have a great online presence and excellent offline service, but also to make the connection between the two easier: making the transition from online to offline as simple, quick and pleasant as possible. And one of the key elements for doing this is also one of the most obvious: the store locator. After all, knowing where your stores are located is a fairly necessary step in actually getting there.

The store locator

The store locator is a unique, intuitive touchpoint that substantially encourages and simplifies the transition from “browsing the site” to “visiting the store” – with the ultimate goal of closing the sale. Knowing immediately, straight from the brand’s site (or app), without having to struggle with further searches, where the nearest store is located, could in just a few seconds convince a customer who is perhaps still undecided to head to the store.

Not only is the user given the store’s address – and therefore its distance from their location – but with a dedicated landing page for each store, opening hours and phone number also become immediately available, all without ever having to leave the site’s navigation. A complete package of information made immediately available!

Not to mention that creating a landing page for each store brings benefits that go well beyond offering an excellent service to your customers: front and center is the fact that this implementation can become a huge boost for your SEO. By now, 40% of searches made on Google are local in intent, which means “store pages” are rewarded by the search engine. For anyone searching for your brand alongside a city name (or with a simple “near me”) these pages would then be given priority. Having them means increasing your online visibility.

The store locator and “store pages” also make it possible to offer targeted promotions based on users’ location and the store closest to them, right at the moment they’re deciding whether it’s worth going to the store or not. According to data published by Netsertive, as many as 78% of consumers say their purchase decisions are influenced by local promotions. A simple discount, perhaps, or a special offer… made available at just the right moment… and suddenly there’s one more reason to leave the house.

The product finder

And then, for those who want to offer a truly excellent service, the store locator can also be integrated with a product finder. This way, the information provided to the consumer becomes twofold and much more complete: they’re not only being told the nearest store overall, but also the nearest one that actually has in stock the specific product they’re looking for at that moment. Being certain of finding the product they want to buy in-store – meaning the trip won’t be made in vain – is already an important step toward getting out the front door.

In short, the store locator, even better if combined with dedicated landing pages for each store and a product finder, is one of the most important elements on the site or app of any brand with multiple stores. Thanks to RetailTune.

Companies that work with RetailTune: Sky, Scarpe&Scarpe, Pinko, Supermercati Oasi, Supermercati Tigre, Supermercati Tigre Amico, Imperial, Cesare Ragazzi, Sika, Gaudì, Dixie.

Claudio Agazzi, Founder & MD at RetailTune.ai