Interview Retail – Offline will never disappear
We start by assessing the current context of the retail sector. Will offline disappear?
Offline retail will never disappear, but it will inevitably continue its transformation process. Today, accessing a product is easy; what is not easy is communicating and conveying its value. In physical retail, you need to be prepared, competent, and empathetic, much more so than a few years ago.
Online retail lacks the shopping experience, the empathy with the seller, and the ability to touch the product
What are its defects and virtues in front of online retail?
Online has the advantage of immediacy, of finding everything right away while staying on the couch at home. Not to mention post-sale processes, where returns are becoming increasingly easier and faster. As a result, purchasing online requires less concern. However, online retail lacks the shopping experience, the empathy with the seller, and the ability to touch the product.
What is the biggest problem or weakness that retail has to face?
Certainly, the decline in consumption. Inflation has led to price increases, even on essential goods, which have not been accompanied by salary increases. Today, purchasing power has decreased, so people are more careful about where and how they spend their money.
People are more careful about where and how they spend their money
In the current context, what role does technology play in retail?
Technology is essential. Nowadays, having a quality CRM makes a difference, allowing you to tailor your offer based on the customer in front of you. The market is no longer universal; you need to be precise and offer the customer exactly what they want.
What does it take for a store to work? Is there a magic recipe?
There are no magic recipes. However, there is the quality of service and the empathy of the staff. Today, it’s not enough to have the right product, which remains a fundamental aspect but is easily accessible across many channels. You need more: the customer chooses the store for the shopping experience we create for them. It’s necessary to provide a carefree experience during the sale, always combined with competence and honesty.
It’s necessary to provide a carefree experience during the sale
How is customer loyalty achieved? How do you engage your customers?
Customer loyalty is another aspect that makes a difference. In offline retail, it is important to break down barriers and create a relationship of trust with customers, not just focus on economic results but build a bond between the seller and the buyer. The same applies to online retail, where this relationship is impersonal and depends on the quality of service offered during the sale and post-sale.
It is important to break down barriers and create a relationship of trust with customers
How do you see the future of retail?
I see the future as increasingly competitive. There will be less and less room for improvisation; today, everything must be meticulously planned, monitored, and continuously analyzed. Only in this way can value be created and success achieved in such a competitive market as retail.
