Part 2 of an SCT series lending insight into the year ahead

At least some shopping habits formed during the pandemic are likely to persist if and when vaccinations put COVID-19 in check. “Efficiency has become paramount,” TSCG chief strategy officer Gregg Katz offered as an example. “For obvious reasons, we’ve seen shoppers make less frequent trips to stores, but their basket sizes have been much larger. My sense is that curbside pickup, in particular, will continue to be hugely important.”

That means retailers and landlords will need to figure out the best way to ramp up these services without creating such headaches as lines of cars blocking pedestrians. “Are retailers and landlords going to collaborate and do this holistically for the entire center, or do these decisions end up just going store by store?” Katz asks. “The answers are important because they could have a big impact on the flow of that property and, ultimately, traffic and sales.”

And what about smaller retailers? “If you’re one of the big retailers like Target, you already have a huge e-commerce presence, but that’s a much bigger challenge for regional operators and independent chains,” Katz said. “In 2021, they may need to figure out how to effectively sell and compete online and manage their inventory in more efficient ways.” That includes making their e-commerce channels not just functional but more Amazon-like, such as suggesting impulse purchases.

It’s part of why third-party service providers like Instacart, Uber Eats and Shopify will become even more prominent this year, Katz predicts. “Businesses are going to need them to survive.” ResultsCX — using software, bots, artificial intelligence and field agents — handles all parts of the customer experience that occur outside brick-and-mortar stores, and chief experience officer Lori Brown has seen undeniable proof of need for third-party support. “Some of our retailers saw a 400 percent increase in volume overnight. We’re there to support these shoppers who are used to walking into stores but are now purchasing more products online.”

In the year ahead, chains need to make sure their e-commerce channels offer the same consistent experience as their stores, Brown says. That means making sure store associates and any third-party representatives of the brand are on the same page from the policies they recite to the facts at their fingertips to the language they use with customers. “You want to create a brand-loyal consumer,” she said.

Read more from SCT’s 2021 look ahead series

The restaurant sector is planning for a comeback
Too soon to plan for the end of COVID, so what will a healthy center look like?
Faster and more collaborative style for retail real estate companies
Which chains will be expanding
E-commerce will face a reality check just like brick-and-mortar