The Mom and Pop Furniture Shop Resurgence

Previously on Local Furniture Store Chronicles (LFSC), we learned that furniture stores have a bright outlook. Today we initialize the first updates for your business.

The internet changed how customers research and make purchases. 

72% of consumers who did a local search visited a store within five miles. (Wordstream, 2016)
Local searches lead 50% of mobile users to visit stores within one day. (Google, 2018)
82 percent of smartphone shoppers conduct ‘near me’ searches. (Search Engine Land, 2018)
28% of searches for something nearby result in a purchase. (Google, 2016) 

We must create an online presence to capitalize. First, create a social media platform business page through Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Then harness the business’s presence through an online shop hosted through Shopify. We will delve more into that process in the next article.

Still not convinced? Does that sound like too much work?
Here are some encouraging statistics from Hubspot.com

72% of consumers who did a local search visited a store within five miles. (Wordstream, 2016)
Local searches lead 50% of mobile users to visit stores within one day. (Google, 2018)
82 percent of smartphone shoppers conduct ‘near me’ searches. (Search Engine Land, 2018)
28% of searches for something nearby result in a purchase. (Google, 2016) 

The data supports developing an online presence will generate more traffic to your store. Initially, the rise of eCommerce led to a local store traffic decrease. Many customers were seduced with never leaving their homes to purchase goods. However, after repeated disappointments with shipping mix-ups, broken items, bootleg items, and worse results consumers are returning to physical locations to purchase. For example, many brick and mortar stores that focus on quality, personalization, customer service, and added value have expanded in the eCommerce age.

Therefore when your online presence brings in customers, deliver the usual combination of customer service and value. Also, customers will share positive reviews if they received excellent customer service. Utilizing this shift, we can generate even more publicity at no additional cost. However, keep in mind that responding to negative reviews and questions plays a large role in ratings. Businesses attract more customers if they sustain a 4.0 rating.