With vaccination occurring across the world, and recent downward trends in COVID-19 infections, many are cautiously optimistic that the pandemic’s end is near. The question for grocery stores is how a return to some sense of normalcy will affect how consumers shop. The pandemic has profoundly impacted essential retailers like grocery stores. New technologies and ways of providing products and services to customers helped stores thrive and keep shoppers and employees safer.
Now that the tide is turning, what technology steps can grocery stores take today to ensure that they will be prepared for the challenges in the post-pandemic era?
Early on in the pandemic, grocery stores experienced a boost in sales that eventually slowed down as shoppers did less stocking up on products. Post-pandemic, some believe that consumer demand will resurge, with people eager to do many of the things that were impossible or risky over much of 2020. From traveling and dining out more often to spending more time with family and friends, consumer behavior will likely soon change. For grocery stores, it’s never been more important to know shoppers’ wants and needs.
One of the most valuable components of today’s retail solutions is the ability to connect with customers through loyalty programs. A loyalty program can play a central role in a post-pandemic shopping landscape as shoppers will have more choices, and a program that rewards with targeted offers, providing real value to the customer, can set a retailer apart from the competition and reward the store with valuable customer insights.
Loyalty programs are just one of the several ways retail solutions can help a store navigate customer behavior changes. From integrated management of the point of sale, back office, warehouse, and all aspects of the retail enterprise, retail solutions ensure that stores provide a seamless shopping experience in-store or online.
STCR doesn’t just connect stores to technology; we help grocery retailers deliver more value to their shoppers through innovation. From complete retail solutions and e-commerce to back-office management tools, automation, hardware and peripherals, STCR designs, implements, and deploys systems that save money and make customers happy.
Learn more about STCR’s retail innovations and how they can help your store meet all of your shopper’s needs.
