“With the on-the-go, on-demand convenience that mobile affords, people now have zero tolerance for friction. Many are literally reappraising the relative values of time, effort, and money. In fact, 58% of the people we surveyed globally now consider convenience alongside price when deciding where to shop.” – Meta
Clothing is not merely a necessary item for daily use, it’s also a luxury item, a form of personal expression, and something that changes with seasons and trends. There are many clothing stores, from mass produced brands through to local boutiques, that have emerged to meet this demand. But for shop owners to remain competitive in the fashion industry, it’s important to connect with customers through innovative retail solutions – the most impactful being Chat Commerce. Here’s a look at how retail commerce is setting the bar in driving increased ROI (return-on-investment) for business.
If you’re new to the concept of clothing chat, then you might be apprehensive – but you need to get over this! Chat solutions for commerce are what consumers want, and they actually work. By implementing retail commerce into your existing business model, you’re going to find a much more seamless engagement that drives revenue quickly.
1. Promotions, launches, and discounts
The world of marketing has shifted to the digital space, with mobile marketing emerging as the most impactful channel when driving sales. By leveraging retail chat platforms, like WhatsApp and SMS, you’re able to share your clothing promotions, advertise the launch of your latest clothing line or range, communicate end-of-season sales, and highlight any discounted offerings such as two-for-one specials.
2. Product suggestions
The more you get to know your customers through data analysis, the more customized you can make the marketing message on your clothing chat platforms. This provides you with insight into the type of clothing a particular customer is interested in, allowing you to share tailored product suggestions and recommendations to better drive ROI for your store.
3. Product availability
Customers who are searching for a particular item of clothing don’t want to waste time visiting a brick-and-mortar store only to discover that they don’t have stock. That’s where clothing chat is such a useful customer tool. With a simple WhatsApp message or SMS, the customer can find out about your inventory and even reserve an item they want.
4. Customer assistance
Using chatbots on this platform, you can communicate automated responses to frequently asked questions (FAQs) to provide 24/7 customer assistance. Customers can also be redirected to a live chat option where human sales agents are available to provide assistance about clothing stock and brands. This drastically elevates the overall customer experience, cementing brand loyalty, encouraging repeat business, and driving ROI.
5. Store location
It might be as simple as customers trying to find the nearest location of your store via the retail commerce platform. They simply send a message via chat, and they can be sent an interactive map that directs them using geo-tagging to the nearest store, providing all necessary contact information alongside it.
6. Delivery tracking
Where customers order clothing online, you can provide them with continued assistance through a chat platform by keep them updated on the delivery. This will include information related to the anticipated delivery time, so they can ensure someone is at home to receive the package, as well as any notifications when there’s a delay in delivery. With clothing, incorrect sizing or personal preferences could result in the item being sent back. Once again, delivery tracking will help with this, while a live chat can assist the customer in finding the right clothing fit for them.
7. Chat Commerce
Finally, you can increase ROI for your clothing store by integrating Chat Commerce into your operations. This actually facilitates the payment for clothing on the chat platform, allowing for a seamless and secure transaction. Once the customer clicks on the payment link, they’re redirected to a secure payment platform to finalize the transaction.
The speed and convenience of retail commerce are some of the main reasons why this is becoming a dominant digital solution for clothing stores. Here are two more reasons you should be considering it for your business.
- Higher spending
According to Meta: “C-commerce is not just growing the universe of online shoppers – it is associated with higher spending too. Research reveals that the ongoing, trusting, and personal connections people develop with brands and sellers via conversations often lead to new interactions, more effective personalized recommendations, and higher spending.”
To put it simply, chat retail solutions mean increased sales and more money!
- Improved brand experience
As the latest fashion trends emerge, customers want the latest clothing now – and chat can deliver this. It’s the quickest route from wanting a garment to having it, which leads to a much better brand experience. Once customers have benefitted from a great experience, they will keep coming back!
It’s great having this retail commerce solution for your store, but it’s important to implement it effectively so that you’re enjoying the full benefits of retail chat. Here are some tips to guide you…
Be readily available: You need to respond when your customers get in touch, which means implementing chatbots for automatic responses outside of work hours, and quick live agent responses through live chat. Remember that peak hours for ecommerce are 8pm to 9pm when people are home and winding down.
Use chat data: Chat isn’t just about connecting with customers, it’s also about learning what you can about your customers. Use live chat data to gather useful information for future marketing campaigns and to improve customer service.
Make checkout simple: Optimize the checkout process by providing assistance on the checkout page and ensuring the system is easy to use. Otherwise, you’ll suffer from a high cart abandonment rate.
Clickatell offers the most advanced digital contact centre solutions worldwide, using conversational technology that supports customers through a mix of chat and live agent interactions. With Clickatell, you’re reducing costs, resolving issues, increasing flexibility, and ensuring customer satisfaction. Contact Clickatell to find out more about their retail commerce solutions today.
SMS and two-way channels, automation, call center integration, payments - do it all with Clickatell's Chat Commerce platform.