How to Increase Customer Dwell Time

It's simple: the longer a customer stays in your store, the more likely they are to end up purchasing a product. The problem that many in-store shops face is struggling to keep customers lingering for long enough to secure those all-important sales.

Aside from offering high-quality products and presenting them in a visually pleasing manner, there are a number of ways you can increase customer dwell time in your store, from offering engaging product demonstrations to diversifying your store with automated check-outs and other virtual features.

Here are some easy ways you can make your customers linger for a little longer:

Create an inviting atmosphere

In order to both entice customers and encourage them to stick around, you're going to want to make sure that your shop is clean, organized, and inviting by adding décor, artwork, or other eye-catching elements that make customers feel comfortable in the space. While we wouldn't necessarily want to use the phrase "instagrammable", having an aesthetically pleasing environment will encourage customers to stick around, take pictures, and maybe even get you some free advertising on social media.

Digital signage, custom decoration, and stylish visual displays can go a long way in creating an inviting atmosphere for your target demographics.

Provide personalized services

Making customers feel like they are at home can go a long way in making them stay longer. It can be a good idea to have staff greet shoppers when they come into the store, while also having enough staff members on the shop floor who will be on hand to give advice, recommend products and answer any questions that customers may have. That being said, it's also important to give customers room to browse and explore your products at their own pace; customers don't like feeling watched, observed or harassed when they're in-store shopping, so keep a friendly, inviting distance.

Provide in-store entertainment

Another great way to increase customer linger time is to provide some form of free in-store entertainment. This can be low-level music, a seating area with magazines or newspapers, or even some kind of interactive experience. For example, many clothing stores have mannequins that customers can dress in order to try out different looks, which can be a fun and engaging way for shoppers to explore their options.

Or, you could try out one of our Loop TV Players. With unlimited watching options - from business TV to music videos, having one or more of our TVs playing in your store can enhance the shopping experience for the friends and partners accompanying your customers. You can even use the TV as a digital signage platform, and use it to advertise deals, promotions, and upcoming events.

Offer product demonstrations

Product demonstrations are another great way to encourage customers to stay longer and eventually spend more in your store. This can be anything from a live makeup tutorial to a tasting session for food. Product demonstrations allow customers to get a better idea of how the product works - as well as a chance to ask questions - thereby creating an overall positive experience that may lead to a purchase.

Incorporate technology into your store

Having virtual elements in-store can also be beneficial if you want to keep customers in the shop for longer. This could include automated checkouts, product recommendations or even interactive displays that give customers more information about products. Additionally, some innovative brands are even now using augmented reality (AR) tools like virtual try-ons, so customers can see what products look like without actually having to try them on.

Brands like Lush, Kate Spade, and Adidas are currently experimenting with creating the ultimate "virtual experience" for their in-store shoppers, and this trend is sure to become commonplace as the merge between in-store shopping and technology continues. While you may not have the budget for a 360 virtual experience for your customers, you can still add some virtual elements to your store to increase customer linger time. Digital signage, touch-screen vending machines, and touch-screen self-checkouts are just some easy ways you can do this.

Host special events

Organizing events that offer exclusive deals or products can be a great way to attract new customers and keep existing ones coming back. Invite customers to take part in activities such as product launch parties, workshops, or giveaways, and make sure that the experience offers something rewarding for them (such as loyalty points or freebie bags). This will help create a memorable experience and make them want to come back for more.

Give out free samples

Finally, one of the oldest tricks in the book: giving away free samples. This is a great way to make sure that people stick around for longer and learn more about your product range - it also might encourage new customers who’ve never shopped with you before to explore your store in person - after all, everyone loves a freebie!

The bottom line

By creating an interactive, engaging in-store environment, you can easily increase how long customers are spending in your store. Don’t forget to experiment a little - we’d recommend testing various engagement methods to see which one works the best for your business niche and your core demographics.