Setting Up a Bricks and Mortar Tech Shop for Success

Even though nowadays most consumers make a significant percentage of their purchases online, many retailers are still opening physical stores. Especially pop-up shops, which are a great way for a company to boost their sales at times of the year where gift-giving is popular.

They are increasingly waking up to the fact that doing so is a good way to boost brand awareness. As well as an excellent way to give consumers the chance to touch, feel, see, and try out products. Something that boosts confidence and makes it easier to convert consumer curiosity into purchases.

Many smaller technology retailers look to multinationals for inspiration. They figure that if giants like Apple think having physical stores makes financial sense, then it would be remiss of them not to try selling in the real world as well as online. But to be successful, bricks and mortar stores need to be set up in a very specific way.

A Tech Shop Needs to Look Techy

The technology that is being sold needs to be out of the box and on display. Apple and other retailers that sell PCs, laptops, gaming consoles, and peripherals do this. They know that people like to see what they are buying. To be able to press the keys, appreciate the screen resolution, the graphics, and the sleekness of the product. It is surprising how easily seduced into buying tech[Jm1]  consumers are when they can touch, try out and play with an item. Especially if it is something that they have been coveting for a while.

Because most other tech retailers already do this, it is also what tech buyers are used to. They do not respond well to a shop that is just full of boxes.

Modern Consumers Are Drawn in by Digital Display Screens

Laying everything out in a way that enables buyers to try before they buy has the added advantage of making the store look very tempting from the outside. Modern consumers love screens. Most of them use them day in day out for leisure as well as to get things done. So, they are naturally drawn to screens. That is one of the reasons so many retailers are starting to use digital screens as part of their window displays. Another reason, putting plenty of monitors, laptops, tablets, and smartphones out on display makes sense for a technology store owner.

The Right Level of Insurance

Tech shop retailers cannot afford to worry about consumers breaking the items that are on display. So, they must have an insurance policy that covers this eventuality. As well as one that provides sufficient coverage for the theft of what are often highly expensive items.

Plenty of Prominently Displayed Special Offers

Tech retailers face a huge amount of competition. People are now used to shopping around for these items online. So, the pricing has to be good to tempt people to buy, there and then.

Stores need to offer consumers plenty of promos to tempt them to have a look around. Those retailers that learn to use digital sign software effectively have the edge over those that do not. They can create their own adverts, which feature the store´s branding and are tailored to appeal to the kind of shopper that lives in the area that they serve. Something that greatly improves the chances of being able to tempt someone to buy.

Knowledgeable Staff

Many people are still reticent about buying expensive items online. They worry that if they make a mistake and buy the wrong type of games console, PC, laptop, hardware, accessory, or peripheral, returning it could be a problem. In which case, they could end up losing a lot of money or be stuck using something that is not suitable for them.

For them, the solution is to go to a physical store to make this type of purchase and seek some advice. Therefore, staff members have to be knowledgeable. They need to be able to make recommendations and explain what each feature does. The more they use the tech that is being sold themselves the better. For a tech shop owner, hiring the right team members is essential.

The Future Is Bright for All Kinds of Tech Retailers

Even though cash is tight both private consumers and business owners still see owning the right tech as important. People know that without it, many of the day-to-day tasks they need to do would be a lot harder. As a result, market analysts expect technology sales to continue to grow around 8.5%. So, whether tech retailers are selling online or through physical outlets, they should continue to be profitable. Provided that they set their stores up in the right way.