Electronics Stores: 9 Tips to Take Advantage of Showrooming

With all the bright colors, improving technology features, and lofty price tags; it comes as no surprise that electronics are the most heavily showroomed items by consumers.

Since many retailers cannot afford to battle online discount sellers that purchase large quantities and earn only small margins on those large quantities they find it especially frustrating when people bring in products they bought elsewhere and ask for help using them, as though expertise had no value.

As rude as that may be, the phenomenon does let you know where your in-store value lies: your knowledge. And of all the prospective customers out there, Millennials, believe it or not, may be the most likely to appreciate this – and to pay you for it.

Millennials are prime candidates for “reverse showrooming” with solidly 50% saying they research online and then buy in store. 

In order to maximize sales and combat showrooming for electronics, these tips may help you “reverse” a showrooming prospect and turn him into a prospect:

1. Appearance is Everything – You’re competing against a never-touched device in a shipping box, so be sure your stock looks brand new and your shop looks like you’re expecting your mom.
2. Remarkable In-Store Experience – Best Buy ran commercials during holiday shopping last year addressing showrooming head on. The premise was that their in-store showroom was so enticing to shoppers that people practically had to purchase in-store – not online. Construct a living room experience; complete with entertainment center, couch, recliner, whatever you need in order to put the customer in the moment to buy without walking out empty handed. If you build it, they will come.
3. Bundle Your Benefits – If consumers order online from Amazon or Tiger Direct, who exactly is providing installation and technical support? Bundling these ancillary benefits to the product with your expertly trained staff can be the deciding factor in winning or losing a sale.
4. Make Product Reviews Visible – Besides price, product and store reviews are the most sought after piece of information for consumers. Counteract any negative reviews (don’t hide from or delete them). Consumers can sometimes be wary when reading them if they only see 4 and 5-star ratings. Turn negative reviews into a positive – you can even promote yourself in the process, like a rewards program.
5. Rewards Points Program –Incentive programs are a great way to create store loyalty, and 40% of shoppers say this is all you need to do to get their business. With many retailers offering 1 point per dollar spent, this can be especially valuable for upcoming holiday shopping season because it will get them to be return customers!
6. Spot Customers Showrooming – Ask them what they’re researching. If it’s information, prove you’ve got it top of mind. If it’s price, ask if it includes support and try to shift them into reverse.
7. Play on Consumer Guilt – You may have used the “I’ll be back” excuse when shopping yourself to get out of a pressured sale, but that doesn’t mean you give customers the opportunity to use it on you. “So you’re going to buy this TV online and risk it being damaged in transit? Instead, you can buy it from us right now and have it be in your possession from store to home.”
8. Package Complementary Products – It is not uncommon for brands to develop products that sync with each other (think Samsung TVs with blu-ray players or anything Apple). Packaging merchandise together (at a small discount) can be your competitive advantage. And don’t underestimate the value of a small freebie in the process. Throwing in a movie with the purchase of a blu-ray player or a video game with a new XBOX or PlayStation 4 just might turn the customer’s ‘no’ to a ‘yes’.
9. Women Like Electronics, Too – At 34% electronics are far and away the most showroomed items for women, and they will showroom at all price levels, whereas men will primarily showroom once an item passes the $50 threshold. Catch them in the act and tell them your value proposition – your best, long-term customers will pay you for it.

Can’t get enough? There’s also 31 more tips itching-to-be-read right here, all to help you turn showrooming into a win-win situation.