Retail consultant Bob Phibbs acknowledges that shoppers might be tentative about mixing with crowds at stores that have been closed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Put simply, Phibbs advises that retailers have to earn back the trust of shoppers.
In the latest newsletter of the International Council of Shopping Centers, Phibbs, who goes by The Retail Doctor, shared advice on five steps retailers must take to earn back the trust of customers to shop safely.
In short, he urges stores to advertise their safety improvements on their websites and on social media before they reopen. He continues that thorough training of employees is a must as well as being open and forthcoming about all the safety measures in place as soon as shoppers re-enter a store.
In the end, he warns, shoppers will only return to stores that demonstrated a new environment committed to all the safety steps recommended to protect their health.
