Consumers keep choosing your competitors over you. Why?

Given that about 80% of your sales come from 20% of your customers, creating a loyal client base is paramount to your business succeeding.

So it can get disheartening when you see people leaving your store early or without making a single purchase.

You’ll start wondering what you’re doing wrong, go over all the different variables in your head to no end, but still not being able to solve this problem.

If you’re at a loss for what to do next, then this article is for you. We’ll be going through most common root issues that determine consumers to leave your store empty-handed so you can better understand how to build strong customer loyalty and increase revenue growth.

With that being said, here are 5 reasons why customers are leaving your store without buying anything:

Let’s get the obvious out of the way first.

A major reason why your consumers would be exiting your store without making any purchases is that they didn’t find what they were looking for.

This is why it’s important to research your market, analyze your competition and find ways to stand out to your target audience. If you’re not already doing this and you notice your prospects are constantly choosing other brands over yours, then this might be a good place to start.

A 2018 study named The Global Path to Purchase Survey collected data from all around the world on what shoppers choose to purchase and the motivations behind their buying patterns. The survey that a whopping 67.3% of consumers left a store because they were not able to find the product they needed, even if the store had it in stock.

What you can do to avoid this: make sure that your store shelves are organized neatly and strategically. Ensure that your best merchandise is easily accessible and diversify your collections to always be able to offer your prospects alternatives.

There’s no going around it: no matter how amazing your store looks and how high the quality of the products you’re selling, poor customer service is bound to make a prospect go to a competitor and never return to your store.

The interactions consumers have with your staff are crucial to whether or not they’ll make a purchase the first time they enter your store, but also down the line. So make sure that your sales team is providing fast service, relevant recommendations and guidance and an overall pleasant experience in-store.

Nobody likes to wait in line. But it’s even more frustrating when you have to wait for a long period of time.

51% of shoppers will leave a store empty-handed if the queues are too long. They scare away customers, leave a bad impression, and cost you sales. So make it a priority to find a reliable system that successfully manages your in-store waiting time.

Lastly, an often-overlooked element of your retail customer experience and experiential marketing, in general, is music.

Loud, random or poorly chosen music can easily frustrate and turn away valuable prospects. On the other hand, no songs playing at all in your store also has a negative impact on your business’ bottom line.

So if you want to increase sales, make sure you choose your in-store music carefully.

You can learn more about finding the right songs for your business by checking out Storeplay Radio, a fully licensed platform meant to help you develop your own unique sound for your brand.