Some storeowners may notice that, all of a sudden, their stores have lost foot traffic. Loss of foot traffic can happen because of a number of reasons, and it has a direct impact on your store’s profits. Here are four potential reasons you haven’t seen many customers at your store lately.
The Internet
There is a good chance that the internet is a huge reason the foot traffic in your brick-and-mortar business has tanked. We are currently living in an age where people can just buy things online with the click of a button—they don’t even have to leave their homes. If you do not have such a large or profitable online presence, this may turn into a huge problem for you. Many major stores sell their products through the internet. Smaller businesses also sell their products through the internet. So, you are competing with all of these other sellers all around the world that are accessible through the internet. The good news is that you can increase your business’s online presence, thus leading to more sales. To accomplish this, consider consulting with a reliable SEO company.
Not the Nicest Environment
You may want to think about how people feel when they see your store and come into it. Do the aesthetics of your business appear welcoming and comforting? Do they engage the interests of your customers? Is the appearance of your business consistent with the crowd who you are trying to appeal to? Make sure your store is both tidy and clean, and that its overall style is one that would appeal to your target customer. Also, don’t neglect routine maintenance. If, for example, you need concrete repairs, don’t procrastinate hiring a professional.
Problematic Workers
Some employees can be difficult. There are some situations in which customers will avoid patronizing a store if they see specific employees working. For example, a customer may avoid buying things in a store if he or she sees a cashier who constantly puts up arguments, behaves strangely, acts difficult and/or acts shady. Take note of how your employees are behaving if you see foot traffic going down. You may come to the conclusion that termination is necessary for certain employees
Other Stores Existing
If other stores have opened up, the lack of foot traffic may be the result of intense competition between your business and other businesses. Large, cheap stores that provide one-stop shopping—such as Walmart and Target—may lead foot traffic away from smaller businesses. If this is happening, you may want to consider relocating.
These are four reasons that may have led to a loss in foot traffic. Intense competition from other stores, problematic employees, the convenience of online shopping, and not having a nice enough environment can all lead to less people walking into your store. Take a survey of the inner workings of your store, and address all potential issues. Doing so will likely lead to an increase in steady customers and profits.