5 Retail Email Marketing Tips to Align Digital, In-Store Experience

Today, consumers are buying more online than they are in stores – and for good reason. Thanks to speedy delivery options, consumers can get their products quickly while avoiding the long lines and crowds we often see at stores.

That’s not to say that every consumer prefers the online retail experience. Some would rather visit the store in person before they decide to buy. They may find it beneficial to speak directly with workers at the store and receive their assistance. In other cases, they may just want to see the product firsthand and test it out.

The trick is to retain these in-store customers while encouraging online shoppers to visit the store, as well. Retail email marketing is a powerful tool for making this happen.

Here are five ways retailers can connect the in-store experience to the online experience.

Send Receipt Via Email

Paper receipts are annoying to tote around after a purchase (you know that crumpled mess at your bag). Consider giving your customers the option to receive their receipt via email instead. An added bonus: You can use this as an opportunity to ask them about email opt-ins.

Show A Little Birthday Love

Everyone loves to feel special on their birthday, including your customers. Invite them to stop by the store on their birthday to pick up a free gift. This is an especially helpful tactic for getting online customers to visit stores. Ulta is one retailer who offers this perk.

Send Alerts for Items Back In Stock

There may be times when the item a customer wants to buy is either out of stock or has limited sizes available in-store. Give customers the option to sign up for email alerts that will notify them when the items have been restocked.

Try Out Location-Specific Deals

Customers who visited a store but did not make a purchase are a great target for location-specific deals. Sending them a coupon to use in-store is a great strategy for drawing them back in.

Share Surveys with (Bonus!) a Promo Code

You can gain valuable feedback from customers through surveys. They can also boost in-store visits. Once customers complete the survey, provide them with a promo code they can apply toward an in-store purchase. Here’s an example of a customer experience survey from Kohls.

Online shopping is a growing market. This means retailers need to explore new tactics for making the in-store experience more memorable. Email marketing helps to build the bridge between these two experiences and boost the success of businesses.

Use Third-Party Data

What makes these emails even more effective is when retailers have a clear understanding of their customers’ real-time wants and needs. This knowledge paves the way for crafting emails that will entice customers and encourage action.

TowerData’s Active Customer Intelligence allows you to access information about your customers’ purchase intent, lifestyle and even what type of shopper they are. You can separate out the deal seekers from the luxury buyers, for instance, and see whether they are a new parent or a new homeowner.

Learn more about how Active Customer Intelligence works.