Monday, November 24, 2014

Keep Stores Clean and Shoppers Happy this Holiday Season



Cleanliness affects the shopping process and can ultimately impact sales.

Your retail business may have great merchandise, but if your store is dirty customers may take their money elsewhere. Ninety-nine percent of U.S. customers report that factors such as unpleasant odors and dirty restrooms and fitting rooms can negatively affect their shopping experience. In a competitive market, retailers can’t afford to have a dirty shop.

Shoppers will always prefer a clean retail store over a dirty one. An establishment that’s not clean can make customers uncomfortable and cause them to cut their shopping experience short. However, if a retail store has been properly cleaned and maintained, visitors are more inclined to continue browsing. And the longer customers spend browsing in a store, the more likely they are to make a purchase.

So keep your store tidy and clean to create an inviting environment that is welcoming to guests and stimulates the shopping process. With increased store traffic around the holidays, focus on these key areas to create a more positive shopping experience:

Entrances

Establish the right tone the moment customers walk in the door. Ensure entrances are clean and inviting. Trap moisture and dirt from shoes with strategically placed floor mats at entrances. Mats also improve safety for guests by helping prevent slippery puddles from rain and melted snow. Be sure to clean entrance areas at least daily, if not several times throughout the day, to ensure a great first impression.

Aisles

Simply sweeping or quickly vacuuming aisles is usually not enough to keep your product aisles fresh and spotless during the holiday season. Turn to Clarke’s line of compact auto scrubbers, vacuums, and carpet extractors to efficiently and effectively clean floors in a single pass.
 

Fitting rooms

Eighty percent of a customer’s buying decision happens in the fitting room—a great incentive to keep them spotless. Don’t make your guests dodge fitting room dust bunnies while trying on clothes. Vacuum fitting room floors regularly and keep mirrors free of dust and fingerprints.
 

Restrooms

Restroom cleanliness can strongly influence customers’ overall perceptions of your store and products. Create a cleaning schedule among employees to ensure that bathroom floors, stalls, sinks and trash receptacle areas are frequently checked and kept sparkly clean.
 

Aroma

Does your store "smell clean?” Shoppers can make an assumption about whether a store is clean based on what they smell. Turn to green cleaning solutions to create a fresh aroma without the harsh odor of chemicals.

Shopping can be stressful, especially around the holidays. Focus on keeping these key areas spotless to create an inviting environment for shoppers this holiday season.


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