While online shopping offers convenience, many customers still crave the experience of browsing in a physical store. Online retailers that can emulate the tactile, interactive in-store experience are more likely to engage customers and drive sales. Here are some tips for recreating that experience digitally:
Detailed Product Images
High quality, zoomable product images allow customers to visually inspect items like they would in-store. Images should showcase fine details, different angles and use models to demonstrate scale and fit. Providing enough images for customers to get a complete sense of the product helps mimic physically handling it.
Product Videos
Short video demos showing how a product works or looks when worn make items come to life. The ability to see items in motion provides valuable visual information to customers before purchasing. User-generated unboxing videos also authentically showcase products.
Augmented Reality
AR functionalities that allow customers to visualize products in their own physical spaces bridge the online/offline gap. AR tools that let you see furniture in a room or try on makeup digitally provide an in-store-like experience.
Detailed Product Descriptions
Thorough and consistent product descriptions build trust by providing all the details a customer could get talking to an in-store sales assistant. Details like materials, care instructions, exact dimensions and comparisons with other products help customers make informed choices.
User Reviews and Ratings
Displaying authentic user reviews, pictures and ratings creates community trust like word-of-mouth recommendations in a physical store. They give social proof of quality from real customers.
Recreating the immersive, sensory aspects of in-store shopping removes barriers to purchasing online. The more product information and visual interaction offered, the more confident customers will be to buy.
Detailed Product Images
High quality, zoomable product images allow customers to visually inspect items like they would in-store. Images should showcase fine details, different angles and use models to demonstrate scale and fit. Providing enough images for customers to get a complete sense of the product helps mimic physically handling it.
Product Videos
Short video demos showing how a product works or looks when worn make items come to life. The ability to see items in motion provides valuable visual information to customers before purchasing. User-generated unboxing videos also authentically showcase products.
Augmented Reality
AR functionalities that allow customers to visualize products in their own physical spaces bridge the online/offline gap. AR tools that let you see furniture in a room or try on makeup digitally provide an in-store-like experience.
Detailed Product Descriptions
Thorough and consistent product descriptions build trust by providing all the details a customer could get talking to an in-store sales assistant. Details like materials, care instructions, exact dimensions and comparisons with other products help customers make informed choices.
User Reviews and Ratings
Displaying authentic user reviews, pictures and ratings creates community trust like word-of-mouth recommendations in a physical store. They give social proof of quality from real customers.
Recreating the immersive, sensory aspects of in-store shopping removes barriers to purchasing online. The more product information and visual interaction offered, the more confident customers will be to buy.