How Walk-In Shopping Differs from Appointment-Based Shopping
Appointment shopping has always been around. High-end bookstores, antique dealers, and jewelry stores have often operated by appointment only. However, the worldwide pandemic brought appointment shopping to your local retailers. In the beginning, state and local health departments strictly limited the number of people allowed to be in anyone store, making appointments necessary to prevent having to turn shoppers away. However, as the pandemic lingered and health restrictions eased somewhat, shoppers found that they liked the idea of a shopping appointment instead of being a walk-in shopper.
What is appointment-based shopping?
Unlike traditional walk-in shopping,appointment-based shopping gives shoppers a set time they are invited to visit the store. They generally book these times online, using a system such as Ombori appointment booking. The advantages of appointment-based shopping include reducing lines, the staff having more time to spend with customers, and giving customers a more "VIP" customer experience. These practices put the customer over revenue...with the expectation that a good customer experience will ultimately lead to increased revenue. Examples of customer-centric practices include customer loyalty programs and apps where customers can engage with your store even before they enter the building.
COVID-19 and appointment-based shopping
During the pandemic,appointment-based shopping offered retailers a lifeline, a way to stay in business despite the strict health department restrictions. John Federman, CEO of JRNI, recently discussed the change: "Appointments [allowed] you to keep the lights on and effectively schedule staff." He continued, "It also [kept] the staff more productive. If an associate [could] spend time with someone with a high propensity to buy, they [could] use their time more effectively. It supports the consultative experience that's a definer for how consumers want to be treated."
Appointment-based shopping vs walk-in shopping
Both appointment-based shopping and walk-in shopping have their good and not-so-good points. Appointment shopping, as we mentioned, helps the retailer better allocate staff and other resources. In situations like the COVID-19 pandemic, this type of model also allows the store to comply with restrictions without having to shutter the store completely. However, appointment shopping discourages spur-of-the-moment shoppers, who might be in the neighborhood or who walk by the store and want to shop. This system can also impact revenue when large numbers of appointments cancel at the last minute or fail to show up for their appointments.
Walk-in shopping, on the other hand, allows customers much more flexibility. This model also gives retailers the freedom to drive business via flash sales or social media promotions. However, walk-in shopping can result in long lines at the check-in counter or purposeless shoppers that don't end up making a purchase.
About Ombori
Ombori is an innovative technology company that provides a platform for ready-to-use, customizable, modular solutions for interactive in-store screens and mobile devices. In addition to providing appointment booking systems, the Swedish-based company offers queue management systems and interactive in-store displays. Ombori is also the creative force behind such revolutionary in-store technology as a talking mirror in NYC's H&M store that asks shoppers to take a selfie with it and an interactive window display that lets passersby shop without even entering the store.
