Keeping up with emerging trends within any industry is mission critical for businesses that want to remain agile and make proactive adjustments to the goods and services offered to consumers. As the line continues to blur between online convenience and rich in-store experiences, Paint Retailers who best understand the preferences of their demographics will be in the best position to maintain and grow their market.
Earlier this year J.D. Power released its latest report on the paint industry. Recognized as a global leader in consumer insights and data and analytics, the 2019 Paint Satisfaction Study canvassed 5,884 customers who purchased and applied paint or stain in the previous 12 months.
Digital is Critical
Containing a range of responses across all age demographics, the study identified that overall a majority of customers are making their purchases in-store, the gap continues to close. It was no surprise that it was reported that Boomers/Pre-Boomers are more likely to walk into a retail location for purchases. Also not a surprise was the fact that younger consumers amongst Generation Y and Z were inclined to complete transactions buying paint and stain online. Among consumers of any age, those that made online purchases reported higher overall satisfaction than those who completed a traditional transaction in-store.
While employing a digital strategy is critical in 2019, all industries are reporting customers swinging back towards wanting a blended experience that involves online resources along with experiential settings in stores. Successful, forward-looking, Paint Retailers no longer have to decide to be online OR maintain a brick and mortar location. Consumers want both.
“Channeling more resources into their websites – while maintaining current in-store experiences – will only help paint brands in the long run.”
-Christina Cooley, Director, At-Home Practice, JD Power
Many forward-thinking retailers are bolstering their web presence with robust interactive tools and online chat agents to answer questions and create engagement with consumers. This coupled with hands-on demonstrations and other in-store events and customer service are curated to create a well-rounded experience that delights customers.
Relative to other industries, the model for selling paint to consumers and contractors has remained relatively unchanged until recently. From websites to social media and other forms of digital marketing, every local, small business can now deploy the same technology that used to only be affordable for large corporations.
Related Post: How the Buyer Journey for Paint has Changed: Emily’s Journey
Primary Components of a Digital Strategy:
- Mobile-first optimized website.
- E-commerce for online sales.
- Social media presence/advertising.
- LiveChat capabilities.
- Email and Newsletter digital marketing collateral.
- Omnichannel commitment to delivering a seamless experience for customers.
While many retailers in the paint business have embraced many of the strategies and technology listed above, most have not or struggle to find the time and expertise to create and execute a complete plan to implement a digital strategy to complement and enhance their in-store experience. If your business fits into this category do not be intimidated. Most of these tools are now designed for non-technical users to navigate easily in addition to comprehensive platforms, such as PaintPass, that bring all of these elements together.
The report also captured overall satisfaction of the Interior, Exterior, and Stain brands as well as Retailers. The complete press release can be found here.
About PaintPass
Are you ready to combine your commitment to providing the best customer service in your store with the latest technology? Just like you, we are all about paint. That is why we built PaintPass specifically for our industry sector. Contact us to find out how our team can take your customer’s experiences with your brand to the next level: theteam@paintpass.ca
Looking for tips to keep your online presence relevant, grow your online paint sales and reach more customers? Check out our other blog posts.