95% of shoppers prefer to be left alone while they’re in a store. Let’s just repeat that for emphasis. 95% of shoppers prefer to be left alone while they’re in a store. A recent HRC Retail Advisory Survey reveals that shoppers want help to be available on an as-needed basis, with the key takeaway being that for the vast majority of customers, a minimal amount of human interaction makes shopping more fun. 

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There are a number of conversations to be had about why this is the case and what it means for our society as a whole, but as business owners, a more pressing question is how do you sell to customers who don’t want you to talk to them? We all know that being able to share more information about a specific product at the right time can be enough to convert an interested shopper into a buyer.

This is where beacons come in.  Beacons are a simple piece of hardware that use Bluetooth to send messages directly to your customers’ phone when they get close. Beacons can be positioned at the front of your store to attract the attention of people as they pass by; they can also be used in the store to provide additional information, special incentive offers, and more to shoppers at key locations, based on the merchandise you have displayed in that area.

34% – slightly more than a third – of all surveyed shoppers ranked receiving promotion and sales information on their phone as they entered the store as very important. 29% also appreciated personalized recommendations, although that number dropped off to 17% when it came to in-dressing room technology: there are still some areas where people appear to prefer more privacy.

Beacons will never replace having trained sales personnel available to help customers when they want to be helped. But they do play a vital role in giving you a viable, effective way to reach out to those shoppers who want to be left alone.