It is an undeniable fact that traditional bricks-and-mortar retailers have been enduring an uncertain time over the last few years. A number of major bricks-and-mortar retailers have disappeared altogether, while others are struggling to retain their market share in the face of the economic downturn and stiff competition from rivals offline, and especially, online. The rise in the use of digital technology and social media to near ubiquitous levels continues to change the way people shop, and online commerce is growing year on year. These changes have not been fully recognized by many retailers, and those who fail to embrace, and take advantage of, the opportunities afforded by them will lose out to those who do.
There are however, things that retailers can do to remain competitive. Shoppers do still shop in-store, even those who embrace social media the most, but in order to appeal to today’s more tech-savvy consumers, retailers need to be more pro-active and innovative in their approach to communicating with customers; retailers can no longer expect customers to just come to them. Shopping is social, but nowadays, it is social in extended ways. For many people, social media are central to their lives, and they share their shopping experiences and favorite brands with their online networks of friends. Retailers can use this growing phenomenon by using social gifting and friend-to-friend marketing to engage customers in meaningful communication. By creating a social relationship with customers, they are more likely to become loyal. Ogloba provides practical and innovative solutions that allow retailers to make the most of these emerging opportunities to boost customer engagement, and get the most value from their gift card programs and online marketing.
