Flat Pack Fever As Retail Returns

 It was quite the sight to behold. In stark contrast to recent media coverage depicting deserted towns and cities, aerial images of queues for some of the 19 reopened IKEA stores in England (suggested as being over 1km long), showed the determination of some consumers to get their flat-pack fix.

The weather was certainly a huge help, as many dedicated tealight and meatball connoisseurs soaked up the untraditional English sun, whilst waiting patiently for their turn to buy a Billy bookcase. Indeed IKEA took to their website to ask that anyone intending to visit for the second day of reopening practice Sol säkerhet (Sun safety) as temperatures were set to hit 28c and the furniture retailer anticipated another day of queues.

Could this therefore help to allay fears around the future of retail stores and the question of whether UK consumers will return to bricks and mortar stores?

Hitting the Retail Peak

There are a few factors that could help a snapback for retailers when many non-essential stores reopen on 15^th June. According to Statista, as of the 24^th May, 8.4million UK workers were still furloughed, many with 80% of salary being paid monthly through the UK Government scheme. Some households have not had the same expenditure since March, as they have cut back on fuel, eating out and non-essential purchases. With a healthier than usual bank balance, and months of stores being closed, many will be ready to spend. The simple life of home-baking & gardening that many have adopted will be sidelined, as some consumers tolerate the queues and observe safety measures just to get back to the shops again.

And with a lot of stock to shift, retailers will greet them with their version of open arms – a plenitude of discounts and offers.

StatistaUK number of people on furlough 2020 | Statista

Feeling Safe A Key Factor

But will shoppers feel safe – and how will that look when hospitality venues start to reopen?

A recent survey showed five essential factors for the public to feel safe enough to return to non-essential retail, hospitality and tourism.

Asked what would influence their decision to take part in leisure activities such as pubs and bars, restaurants, holidays, non-food shopping and visiting local attractions, respondents of the People 1^st International survey cited:

• Crowd levels (69%)

• Ability to social distance (64%) 

• Confidence in infection control measures (63%)

• Cleanliness and hygiene (61%) 

• Confidence that staff have been trained in these new measures (54%)

An interesting observation from those lengthy IKEA queues was that many shoppers didn’t seem to be wearing facemasks and those queueing appeared to get closer than the 2m distancing guide.

Businesses that are reopening are investing significantly in measures to ensure customer safety. From plastic screens at checkout to spacing reminders on the floors, a new industry has been created from the need to make public spaces safe.

Certainly it is important to build trust with consumers by demonstrating responsible business practices and a commitment to put the safety of staff and customers first. But is there another hurdle that businesses will need to consider in reopening – the behaviour and actions of the shoppers themselves?

After lockdown, the first visit to supermarkets for many was one filled with trepidation. Panic buying had emptied shelves, and supermarkets were rolling out strict safety measures to shoppers who were willing to listen and learn the ‘new normal’.

Months on, the essential shopping experience looks and feels very different. Toilet rolls are back in stock, and some shoppers seem more relaxed with the spacing and protective measures.

Will the same apply to the non-essential retail and hospitality businesses after an initially cautious reopening? If crowd levels, cleanliness and the ability to social distance do not feel at a level to make customers feel comfortable, there is a definite possibility that those who venture out may not return for a long time to come.

 Gradual Reopening with Clear Guidance

It is important that businesses are realistic about how much they can depend on their customers to keep themselves safe and look out for each other. No amount of screening the cashier or offers of hand gel will make a cautious shopper feel comfortable when another customer brushes past or leans straight across them for goods. It is essential for the business to handle each customer with care and understand that there will be many differing views of what ‘safe’ looks like.

It should be a focus for businesses to understand how to communicate with customers about their own responsibility in a safe re-opening. Much of the signage seen to date focuses on what the store has done for the customer – getting the balance right on asking each customer to be respectful to each other will be essential.

Using technology to help with virtual queues and pre-ordering could also be worthwhile for many stores. Enabling and educating customers who aren’t as tech-savvy to use this and understand the benefits is also an opportunity for retailers to promote tech inclusivity and strengthen their online communities & customer base. There is great merit in the power of people too, and a meet & greeter can help introduce the changes to the store environment and positively relay what’s expected from each customer.

 Getting it right is critical as stores reopen. We already know there is significant economic hardship ahead, which will dampen the mood to spend. Making customers feel like they count by being more communicative and investing in getting it right from day one will see more of them return.

Whilst kilometer long queues might be good for headlines, it is how you keep them coming back that is the win.