2019 will conclude a decade of significant developments for retail businesses. New shopping routes have emerged, practices have disappeared and this has all been led by a new major player: the web.

To help you stay up-to-date in 2019 (or catch-up if you’re just beginning) and increase your number of customers, their average baskets and therefore your turnover, we will list the simplest and fastest techniques that Quebec businesses should adopt.

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In this article we will discuss:

• An indispensable online presence
• The web-to-store, the millennial buying route
• Click & collect, benefits for buyers and traders
• Social networks, your best advertising in 2019
• The customer experience in store a pillar of loyalty
• Ethical and authentic at the heart of the buyer / seller relationship

2019 trends in Quebec retail

An indispensable online presence: Prove your credentials

In 2019, it’s simple: a person looking for you on the internet, and finding neither an online store nor a social network = a lost customer.

You already know that to attract new consumers in stores, you have to present yourself on the web in a way that demonstrates a good image.
For this, you already know the benefits of social networks: you talk about yourself, you post photos, you answer questions from users, you create interactivity …

But in 2019, millennials (people born between 1978 and 1998) will only access your store if they know what they will find there. They don’t like to go shopping for nothing and waste their time.
Because of this, having your own online store is the must-have tool to present your store’s product catalog, availability and services.

Web-to-store : A buying journey with more and more followers

Created during the past decade, the web-to-store model will be in 2019 a major purchase for millennials in 2019. As explained above, your presence on the web is indispensable.
If a web-surfer is looking for stores to buy products like yours and does not find you on the web but finds your competitor’s shop, will he consume at your competitor’s shop or yours? This search on the web has become a reflex for anyone that does not know where to buy a particular product.

I had a recent experience that provides a good exemple. I searched Google for the stores in Montreal that sold an outdoor game I wanted to buy. I found 5 stores, 3 of them had their own online stores, 2 still had the game in stock. Bingo, one of these 2 is a few minutes from my home and open.
I went to this store, took the game and paid.
While I was there I discovered the store with many interesting items. I will go back here if I need to buy a new game and I will recommend it if I am asked where to buy games.

Would I have gone to this store if I had not seen their online store?
No!

Click & Collect: And its multiple benefits for you and your customers

Much like the web-to-store, click & collect stands out with its online payment.

Its benefits are related to new buying behaviors. Customers want to enjoy their purchases as quickly as possible and they know that small businesses cannot deliver quickly without excessive delivery costs.

Pickup is the perfect solution to match they want.

The benefits for the user:

• No delivery charges
• Available directly or in a few hours
• Enjoy the prices of the web

The benefits for the merchants:

• No management for delivery
• Introduces the entire universe of the store to its customer, who can be enticed to buy more
• Creates a human contact with the client, promoting loyalty
• Know your clients better

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Social networks: Your best advertising on the web

Social networks have, in 2018, started their evolution towards online sales. From Facebook online shops to Instagram Shopping, linking your social networks to the product catalog of your online store has become a powerful sales lever.

In 2019, the time spent on social networks will continue to increase, as will the number of “likes” on Instagram publications and photos.

With the shares and publications highlighted, the photo of your product can be seen by thousands of people whom had previously never heard of your business. The visual appeal on the net, with your product photos linked to the page to see their price and buy is without a doubt a huge springboard for your sales.
With a Panierdachat online store , you can easily link your product catalog to your Facebook page or tag your products on your Instagram photos.

The customer experience in store: make them live a unique and memorable experience

What is the difference between your competitor who sells a few hundred meters and you? What is the difference? What is your competitive advantage?
If you tell me about the crowds on the street where you’re located, you already lost.

The Quebecer, like his American neighbor, is on the lookout for shops that help him live a unique experience, and having to go to a lesser-know area can be an advantage.
Why ? Because if he is satisfied with his discovery, he will be proud to know about a store or a product that is “off the beaten path”, encouraging him to talk about and recommend it.

So how to provide the opportunity of a more unique experience? There are a number of choices available to you: an unusual decoration, the opportunity to test products in a fun way or an atmosphere that immerses customers in a bubble with sensory marketing.

Example: Do you sell natural products? Turn your urban store into a wellness bubble that takes the customer to the forest. Spread a scent of cedar or pine, a soundscape of a dripping river, a thick green carpet reminiscent of moss on the floor and bulbs that radiate natural light.

With this, be sure that everyone who has crossed your door will leave with a smile, a bag under his arm and pictures on his phone ready to send them to his entourage and share them on social networks.

Ethical and authentic: Create pride among your consumers

In 2019, Quebecers, with millennials leading the way, are constantly informed of the good and bad facts of the companies that surround them and are ready to change their consumption habits according to this news.

From the mistreatment of animals, unethical means of product creation that does harm to animals or the environment, to tax evasion and excessive packaging of products, it’s all pretext to stop consuming a particular merchant’s goods and find a new one where they will be proud to consume.

On the contrary, a company that will be eco or socially responsible: products made in Quebec, products without excessive packaging or products based on ecological matter… all small ethical gestures will radiate a positive image on your business for Quebecers who will later be proud to open the door of your business.

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