Newsletters, banners, and discount coupons are strategies widely used by physical store owners who want to drive their customers to shop at their online stores. But what happens when you want to do just the opposite? Take customers from a virtual store to a physical store It may seem complicated… but it is more common than you think!
This is a phenomenon known as ROPO (online research, purchase offlinein Spanish it would be something like: search online, buy offline) and can have a great impact on your business.
Other concepts that you should know if you have a physical and digital business are webrooming, showrooming Y bommerrooming, three consumer habits that emerged with the rise of technology. Let’s see what each one is about:
- webrooming: is when a person searches and compares prices on the Internet, but then buys directly on the physical store.
- Showrooming: when a person searches and compares prices on the physical storebut you make your purchase online.
- bommerrooming: First, the person searches for the product online, then goes to the store to see it and finally buys it online (after having searched for the best price).
To give you an idea of the importance of your customers knowing both sales channels, 87% of Mexican buyers do webroomingaccording to the AMVO.
Advantages and disadvantages of having a virtual store
Six out of ten SMEs in Mexico sell online, according to the second edition of the AMVO. This represents 94.6% more than in 2019!
Like everything in life, internet sales have their advantages and disadvantages. Join us to review some of them:
Advantage
- The possibility of reaching new customers, both local and regional, and even abroad!
- Depending on the size of your business, you need few employees to manage sales.
- You can try 100% virtual business models, such as dropshipping.
- Your store will be open 24/7.
Disadvantages
- Customers cannot see or touch the product, unless they buy it.
- Shipping has an additional cost.
- In some cases, it is complex to make changes and returns.
Learn more:
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Advantages and disadvantages of having a physical store
Although electronic commerce has grown by leaps and bounds, sales through analog channels remain a safe bet for SMEs in Mexico. These are some of the advantages and disadvantages of selling in a physical store:
Advantage
- Direct and personalized contact with customers.
- Speed. If a customer wants a product, he buys it and receives it instantly.
- Possibility of providing advice and attention instantly.
Disadvantages
- Fixed expenses higher than those of a Online store.
- It is only possible to make sales while the store is open.
- The stock is limited to the space available to store it.
So which one do I go with?
Ok, you already know the good side and the not so good side of both channels; You are probably now wondering: which one is better? The answer is easy: both!
Today, being present in multiple sales channels is an infallible strategy for brand development. In fact, those who sell online in Mexico also sell through other channels, including marketplaces and social networks.
Focusing on SMEs, these are the main sales channels used by Mexican brands today:
- physical stores from a third party (supermarkets, convenience stores, etc.).
- Facebook.
- WhatsApp.
- Online store own.
- Instagram.
- physical store own.
- Online store from a third party.
And there are some categories of products that Mexican consumers prefer to continue buying in physical storeamong which stand out: furniture and home decoration, pet products and supermarket purchases.
However, when it comes to video games, food delivery, fashion and beauty, more and more Mexicans are choosing to shop online. Hence the importance of taking advantage of the benefits of omnichannel.
Fe store: a success story
The Tiendanube FE, for example, opened its physical store in 2012 as a meeting space for tarot readers in the City of Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Shortly after its opening, FE had an exponential growth and, in addition to the sale of products to perform rituals and psychomagic acts, it began to offer new workshops, sessions and special events.
Today it has surpassed the barriers of local commerce and the physical world with its Tiendanube, where it sells products (per piece and wholesale), courses, services and much more, with an international reach.
Expenses: physical store vs. Online store
Let’s start with the physical store. If you do not have your own premises, perhaps the highest fixed cost you have to pay is the monthly rent of a space to sell your products. The price will depend on where it is located and the influx of people in the area.
In addition to the rent of the premises, there are some other costs that you must take into account:
Expenses of a physical store
- Monthly rent of the premises.
- Design and furnished.
- Site maintenance.
- I pay services such as electricity, telephone, internet and water.
- Packaging and/or shopping bags.
- Payment of wages and taxes.
Following the costs of a online storeif you choose to create it with an e-commerce platform like Tiendanube, we have a single plan in which, for only 99 MXN per month and 0% commission (yes, you read that right, no commission), you will have everything you need to start selling online.
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Beyond the monthly cost of the platform, you will need to pay for a good internet service, a computer and some other services, such as the ones you will find below:
Expenses of an online store
- E-commerce platform monthly payment.
- domain and hosting (in case of not paying an e-commerce platform).
- computer or laptop.
- Internet and telephone service.
- Warehouse (optional).
- Packaging and other materials to make shipments.
These are just some of the basic services for each type of store. Each company must create its own structure of fixed and variable costs, in order to better control the profitability of the business.
To make sure you get the most out of both channels, we recommend defining strategies to invite customers from your virtual store to visit your physical store, and vice versa. Keep reading and learn some techniques to achieve it.
How to bring customers from your online store to your physical store
1. Physical store on Google Maps
Create your account at and enter the addresses of all your stores to appear in . Once your account is created, a map highlighting your stores will be shown to users who perform certain related searches on Google, or when they search for your brand on Google Maps.
This will give confidence to your potential buyers and help those who prefer to see the product before buying to find your store on the street easily.
2. Contact information in your virtual store
On the contact page of your online store it is recommended to include:
- Telephone.
- Address.
- Business hours of your physical store.
Additionally, you can include a map in your virtual store, highlighting your different branches.
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3. Offer the option of picking up in store as a delivery method
The main reason why users abandon the shopping cart, without finishing it, is because of the high shipping costs. Offering your customers a choice can help you make more sales.
If you do not want to bear the cost of shipping, a good option is to give your customers the possibility of picking up their order at your physical store. In addition to being satisfied with the free delivery, they will also have the opportunity to see your store and perhaps make another purchase!
4. Invite your store from your social networks
Social networks, such as Facebook or Instagram, allow you to include your contact information such as address and telephone number, so that your followers can contact you quickly or go to one of your stores to learn more about your brand.
Another way to subtly, but constantly, remember the existence of your physical storeis to include the location of your business every time you upload a post or a story.
Learn more…
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5. Add your address on the packaging
If you make shipments of your sales online, surely you already master the subject of packaging and packaging. And if it’s not that way, .
Well, to send a product by parcel, you must protect it with various materials that can range from paper and cardboard, to bags and boxes. Whatever material you use to wrap your shipments, you can always add a personalized touch and include information such as your business address, hours and of course, the URL of your Online store.
6. Promote your brand’s special events in your virtual store
A very common practice among physical stores, mainly fashion stores, is the organization of special events. To ensure that customers are attracted, unique promotions are launched during the event. For example: offer the products with a special discount, which is only available at that time.
They also often entertain attendees with music, special guests, drinks, and food. In short, all one that creates a closer link between client and brand
How to take customers from your physical store to your online store
1. Place signs promoting your online store
Placing signs and banners promoting your virtual store is the first step for your customers and visitors who know your physical store They know that they can also buy online.
The most important thing is that this sign includes the web address (URL) of your store clearly and conspicuously.
For example, you can include these notices in:
- The sideboard or the door of the premises (just like you do, they are the logos of the credit cards that you accept).
- Cash register.
- On the invoice or purchase receipt.
- Printed on the bags you give to your customers.
- Inside the tester, if you have .
- On your personal cards or postcards.
Many stores offer business cards with contact information or attractively designed postcards that customers can take for free when they visit the store.
Do not forget to include the URL of your store in this type of material, both are an excellent way to keep in touch and build customer loyalty.
2. Give discount coupons
In e-commerce —just like in the offline world— the repurchase is even more important than the purchase. This is because, when the customer buys again, the acquisition costs of the same disappear.
One of the best ways to stimulate repurchase and invite your current customers to try the online shopping experience is to give them an exclusive discount coupon for your virtual store with each purchase in your physical store. You can include it inside the bag or deliver it together with the ticket.
3. Offer products without stock
Many times it happens that a product is sold out in your physical store. However, you still have some pieces in your…
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