10 Jul 2024 RETAIL TRENDS
Are you ready to take your retail game to the next level in 2024?
As your trusted QuickBooks Solution Provider, we’re here to guide you through the latest retail trends you cannot afford to overlook.
AI is Transforming Retail Operations
AI continues to revolutionize the retail sector, streamlining operations, enhancing customer experiences, and driving sales.
Consumers are demanding more convenience and connection, and the economy is tightening, which makes it crucial to stay ahead of the curve.
Leverage AI and streamline your operations through automated tasks like invoicing, answering pressing financial questions, sending invoices, sourcing profitability insights and more with QuickBooks.
Social Commerce
Social commerce, the integration of e-commerce and social media, is becoming a dominant force in retail. Platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok offer seamless shopping experiences directly within their apps.
This trend allows retailers to reach consumers where they spend most of their time, driving impulse buys and increasing sales.
Tracking and managing the financial complexities that come with these new sales channels needs accurate bookkeeping and insightful financial reporting to maximize profitability from social commerce efforts.
Hyper-Personalization and Engagement
Chatbots have emerged as a popular and effective way of achieving hyper-personalization and engagement.
By leveraging this technology, retailers are making consumers feel acknowledged, valued, and actively involved on their favorite websites.
A significant challenge still lies in maintaining customer privacy while implementing hyper-personalization strategies.
The most important part of this trend is to stay top of mind with customers and keep their privacy secure.
Expanding Retail Locations and In-Store Experiences
An increasing number of retailer locations are creating unique experiences for their customers in-store to build loyalty and engagement.
Here are some tips:
- Enhance overall in-store ambiance
- Make it easy for customers to find and explore new products
- Implement QR codes at the POS for customers to scan
- Host a pop-up shop or participate in a special event
Mitigating Returns and Return Fraud
A challenge retailers have been facing in 2024 is mitigating returns and return fraud.
By utilizing QuickBooks, you can learn how to leverage a streamlined dashboard that provides accurate inventory insights so you can quickly identify and address inventory anomalies.
Micro-indulgences
“Funflation”, or purchasing for joy, is a rising trend in retail.
Shoppers are embracing micro-indulgence by comparing prices, holding off on purchases, and saving to splurge on items elsewhere.
Leverage data insights to create compelling bundles, specials, and innovative marketing strategies that influence your customers’ buying decisions.
Category Growth
In 2024, the food service category is projected to hit over $1 trillion in sales, thanks to tech innovations and sustained dining demand, adding 200,000 jobs.
Meanwhile, food and grocery industries will grow due to shifts towards convenience and tech, while apparel is predicted to show modest growth due to economic shifts and a focus on sustainability and digital commerce.
Contradictory Consumers
Consumers are making their own purchasing compromises and trading down so they can continue purchasing items that bring them joy.
Personal priorities can be anything from a family trip to a daily latte. The trick for retailers is determining how their customers define essential or splurge.
Keeping a pulse on financial insights will support this increase in “trading down”.
Partner with Siegel Solutions
Navigating the evolving retail landscape can be challenging, but you don’t have to do it alone. Partnering with Siegel Solutions ensures you have expert guidance and the right tools to stay ahead of industry trends.
Learn more about 2024 retail trends here or reach out to us today to start the conversation!