Retail

Chat Retail Solutions for Grocery Stores

The retail solutions offered by live chat are far-reaching and diverse, offering significant advantage over competitors. With so many grocery stores across the globe looking for ways to get ahead, grocery commerce is playing a vital role in delivering a superior service to a more satisfied customer using chat platforms.

According to Finances Online, live chat has proven itself to be the ‘…simplest, quickest, and most accessible form of customer support. And the introduction of AI chatbots has offered a cheaper alternative that reduces the burden on human agents and improves the quality-of-service delivery’. Retail commerce using chat means that you’re meeting the customers where they are and providing them with the most convenient way to stock their cupboards. 

What are the uses of chat for grocery stores?

 “Online shopping has grown steadily in popularity in recent years. In 2021, global online retail sales amounted to almost five trillion U.S. dollars, a figure expected to exceed seven trillion U.S. dollars by 2025.” - Statista

There was a steady shift towards online retail options prior to the pandemic, with lockdown measures propelling this trend exponentially. In 2021, ecommerce accounted for almost a fifth of all sales worldwide, with this number anticipated to grow to a quarter of global sales by 2025 (Statista). The reason for this is that online retail is quick, simple, and easily accessible – the three things all consumers want! However, companies that are leveraging chat platforms to engage with customers are taking an even bigger slice of the retail commerce pie because they’re making the process quicker, simpler, and even more easily accessible. Here’s how it works for those selling produce:

1. Marketing opportunities

“As 95% of people own mobile phones that do not need an Internet connection, businesses are bound to make the most of these technologies. SMS marketing statistics show SMS is indeed increasingly becoming a core feature of mobile marketing software.” – Finances Online

SMS remains one of the most dominant forms of communication globally, requiring no internet access and supported by all mobile phones. That’s why it’s such a fantastic tool for marketing when it comes to grocery commerce.

 According to Shift, SMS has a 95% open rate, which means that you’re reaching your target audience. But you need to tailor your message so that your customers are receiving content they want to receive – or you risk them opting out of your marketing. By integrating with CRM (customer relationship management) software and using data-driven insights, you can customize the marketing of promotions and discounts to your audience. This way, you’re not attempting to sell cat litter to dog lovers! And never underestimate the value of loyalty rewards programs, all of which can be shared via the SMS platform. 

2.  Shop for groceries

Bringing grocery commerce to your customers means connecting with them on their favourite apps. With WhatsApp boasting more than 2 billion users worldwide, having been downloaded around 5 billion times on Android and iOS (Business of Apps), it’s not surprising that this is becoming the preferred platform for retail solutions. Customers simply have to message the store on WhatsApp, with a response sharing a link that redirects customers straight to the grocery store and its extensive product listings. The customer then selects the grocery items, places them in the virtual cart, heads to virtual checkout, and pays – all through the app. 

3. Customer support

 “Almost 80% of customers have not completed a purchase due to unsatisfactory customer service.” – BigCommerce

 Both live chat and chatbots provide extensive customer support for grocery commerce, ensuring customers are getting what they need, and being assisted when they aren’t. Chatbots are great for prompting customers through greetings and presenting a list of options that can help them find what they need or answer some frequently asked questions. Using AI (artificial intelligence), chatbots are now better designed to engage with customers through simulated human conversation. However, there is no substitute for human interaction, and where the chatbot cannot assist, it can redirect the customer to live chat with a human agent. Through live chat, your grocery store customer can ask questions about particular goods and even get assistance on existing orders. This personalized engagement improves conversion rates and encourages customer loyalty. 

What are the benefits of chat retail solutions for grocery stores?

 Grocery commerce facilitates the entire process of grocery shopping without the customer ever having to leave their home or step in a store. This is hugely beneficial for those who are still concerned about health risks, who have demanding work and family lives with little time for shopping, or simply those who enjoy the convenience of online retail offerings. Here are some of the benefits for you and the consumer:

  • Drive sales: Grocery commerce gives your customers a clear-cut overview of your product offerings, discounts, and sales, with your chatbots and live chats guiding customers to in-demand items, often better than can be achieved in person. This is simply because you won’t have the manpower to facilitate this level of personalized assistance in any brick-and-mortar store. A chatbot on your checkout page will also drastically reduce abandoned carts, as you’re able to reassure customers about their item choices. 

  • Useful feedback: Using chat retail solutions like chatbots and SMS messaging, you can elicit feedback from customers on their experience to improve your product offering in the future. Because of the concise nature of the chat platform, the surveys are quick and easy, making it more likely for your customers to respond.

  • Improved customer experience: Retail commerce through chat is a great way to connect with your customers, even when you’re not interacting with them in person. By providing them with an efficient grocery service, you’re improving day-to-day living and building a better brand experience.

Why is Clickatell the best retail commerce option?

Clickatell is the leading provider of conversational commerce for retail solutions, connecting mobile consumers with businesses for some two decades. Using channels such as SMS, WhatsApp, and Facebook Messenger, Clickatell is bringing the grocery store to the consumer, saving on time, money, and hassle. To find out more retail commerce through Clickatell, get in touch today.

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