The festive period has come and gone once more, but the busy day-to-day of the retail world continues. Moving into the new year brings a slight shift in attitudes toward in-person shopping. According to recent findings from UK brand The Perfume Shop, 72% of shoppers often seek additional information and services in-store. Likewise, almost 40% of UK consumers now visit non-food stores once a week.
With brick-and-mortar continuing to hold its own, retailers are turning to technologies such as mobile POS and omnichannel services to sharpen their in-store offering. Creating a strong customer experience is critical to keeping that momentum going on the shop floor.
So what can retailers do to stand out in the in-person shopping experience, and how are retail technologies paving the way for a modernized brick-and-mortar future?
Providing the best of both worlds
Online shopping has reshaped what customers expect in a physical store. To keep pace with eCommerce, brick-and-mortar retailers need to match its speed and convenience (instant checkout, instant visibility of stock) while keeping the one advantage online can't replicate: handing customers their item right away.
A reliable, fast payment process matters more than ever. In Q2 2024, 66% of customers opted to pay with Apple Pay or another mobile POS method in stores or restaurants. Tools like Teamwork Commerce's Mobile POS let retailers offer a fast, flexible checkout from anywhere on the floor. Paired with Teamwork's RFID stock counter app, retailers also get the regular, accurate inventory reporting needed to replicate the stock visibility customers get online, and associates can share that same information directly with shoppers in the aisle.
The building blocks of customer relationships
Keeping up with rising in-store foot traffic means investing in an omnichannel strategy customers can rely on. Teamwork's Omnichannel Order Management System (OMS) supports services like Buy Online, Pick Up In-Store (BOPIS) and Buy Online, Return In-Store (BORIS), giving customers a low-effort way to collect and return items. BOPIS alone is forecast to make up nearly 20% of all eCommerce spending by 2027, a sign that retailers need to support every path a customer might take to a purchase.
Streamlining these operations also takes pressure off in-store associates, freeing them to focus on service. In 2024, 88% of customers said customer service mattered more to them than ever: making it a central piece of any in-store strategy, not an afterthought.
The power of in-person experiences
The in-person experience has become a pivotal part of the shopping journey. Brands including Acne Studios, Moose Knuckles, and ASICS have redefined their retail spaces to encourage engagement and give customers something they can't get anywhere else.
To support that shift, retailers need the technology to back it up. A Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platform lets retailers analyze preferences and behavior, tailoring discounts and promotions that actually resonate, and recommending products based on a customer's browsing or purchase history, whether that history was built online or in-store. The result is a shopping experience that feels personal rather than generic, which is what keeps customers coming back.
Is retail heading back to bricks?
The in-store resurgence is continuing to shape the retail industry in 2025. Prioritizing in-store interactions and customer service will be key for retailers looking to keep that momentum going, and technologies like CRM and OMS give brands the tools to go the extra mile for their customers.