Get to know the functionality of digital supermarkets and marketing

Get to know the functionality of digital supermarkets and their world-changing marketing strategy. Supermarkets in the U.S. are the businesses that have suffered the most minor consequences due to the pandemic that began in 2020.

Offering and selling basic necessities makes its existence and prevalence essential for communities, which is its great advantage over other businesses.

This type of business does not require a marketing strategy as elaborate as other fields might need. However, they have had to adapt to the new requirements the world has imposed on them. In the last two years, as a result of the confinements and also the convenience of receiving orders at home.

Digital Supermarkets

Also known as smart supermarkets, do not require human capital to operate. Since they have their products through a digital platform, people can buy from wherever they are.

It is just like a virtual store or website through which other types of products can be purchased.

Some supermarkets offer the option of buying online and in person during checkout. People pay without queues through a product scanning system with the cell phone registered in the site’s application. People also pay without lines or passing through the regular checkouts; instead, it’s through electronic stations where the purchase is already written and ready to cancel.

This type of service, which is now very common in stores, is called omnichannel. Since the person is present in the store (offline) but can make the purchase and payment digitally at the site (online) without resorting to another person (cashier).

Digitization as a powerful force for supermarkets

In an increasingly digitized environment where practically everything is sold online, it is common to hear or read the premise that if you are not in digital media, you do not exist.

We have repeatedly stressed the importance of having a presence on the web. Either with a site or page on social media, it is increasingly common to find stores and markets offered by applications and platforms, among others.

People will see and get to know us by being active in these. It´s one of the best options to publicize a brand or business’s products and services, specifications, costs, availability, etc.

This need was already latent before the pandemic. And as of March 2020, it became practically an obligation for each business. Thus, be on par with the needs of the moment and the new trends in promoting and selling.

Supermarkets were not far behind. They were essential places both then and today, representing the best option for obtaining necessary products. Thus, being part of that change and incursion into the digital age so on demand 2 years ago.

How to optimize a supermarket through digitization?

As we already mentioned, entry into the digital age is essential.

All have a presence among Internet users, who daily use the Internet not only to be entertained but also to search for places where they can access the products and services they are interested in.

It is important to have a digital version of the business carried out physically or traditionally.

To increase the traffic of visits and searches and offer options to customers that facilitate purchases and speed up the daily rhythm of life. Some of the ways to optimize supermarkets are:

Attracting clientele on a larger scale

To have a good attention-grabber, it is necessary to have visibility in digital media. Yes, we already mentioned it, and here we repeat it more concretely.

If you are on the internet, review the site, its design, and the branding image is handled. Because if, up to now, you have not achieved that massive influx of visitors, it is likely that you should make adjustments to these items.

It is also important to do an SEO review on what will boost your search engine rankings. And last but not least, do not forget the excellent and successful social media, a place where you should make yourself known since it is active 24/7. And the growth it implies for accounts that know how to do the job with clear strategies is significant.

Customer loyalty

Supermarkets are excellent businesses for launching promotions, discounts, and contests with sponsors, among others, to the public. This will give excellent results if these options’ communication and promotional strategy is perfect and well-executed.

Another way to achieve loyalty is to be very clear in the description of the products and the bases of the offers launched.

This ensures that there is transparency in the processes, which will translate into trust by the business or establishment—achieving engagement with customers.

Optimize from metrics

Having clear and precise statistics of how progress is being made in terms of the marketing strategies implemented is vital to know with certainty the point at which the business is concerning the relationship with customers and especially if the work being done is effective and efficient.

If the proposed results are not being obtained, the metrics will serve to identify where it is failing. And it will give you the tools to improve or reform that deficient field.

Marketing for supermarkets

Most supermarket purchases can be linked to marketing strategies based on the location of the products, relevance, smells, colors, etc.

These are some of the marketing strategies that can be successfully applied in a supermarket:

Locate the essential products at the back. So the customer has to go through the entire supermarket until they reach what is necessary. In this way, they will be able to see other options that encourage them to consume things that they may not have wanted or needed.
Place attractive or non-essential products on the right-hand side and the basic ones on the left-hand side. And create a visual game, encouraging purchasing of the necessary and the not-so-necessary.
Leave the most expensive products at the top of the shelves and the cheapest at the bottom. To provide further visibility to those above and encourage the purchase of these for convenience.
Use warm and intense colors to show promotions and discounts. And cold tones to inform about relevant news that promotes sales and consumption.
This is a way to break the pattern of making mechanical purchases. Forcing the person to go around the place to locate what they are looking for. Thus, be able to see the totality of available products and motivate them to take things they had not planned.
Marking prices with decimals that end in 5 or 9 attracts more consumers and convinces them to take a product. So, you should avoid rounding prices, thinking that this way they can look more affordable.
Although not so new, a modality that has not yet been implemented in all stores is the sale of mobile chargers. This offers the customers who are perhaps in a hurry due to lack of battery a space of security by having the option to charge their phone on site. At the same time, you shop in a calm and unhurried way.
As for the smell, the bakery or takeaway section plays an important role. Who can resist the aroma of freshly baked bread? So this space can significantly increase sales.
Another strategy that plays a very relevant role in supermarkets is music. It is conducive to evoking sensations in the customer, encouraging or calming them according to the needs of the place. When the store is full, it is typical for the music to be a fast rhythm; in the opposite case, the melody is soft.
One of the advantages is that, between songs, many supermarkets take the opportunity to place their promotional jingles, make announcements that motivate purchases, and penetrate customers’ minds.

Social Media Strategies

We already mentioned the importance of having a presence on social media. And to increase the advantage in these media, several strategies to implement and consider are:

Product Posts

This is one of the most frequent options in this type of account. And it is practically the duty to depend on the merchandise handled in these places. Often, those who resort to looking for a supermarket bill are motivated by the need for a specific product and knowing its existence, availability, and cost.

Recipe Posts

A prevalent strategy that fails very little is to share cooking recipes, which can be saved and shared with others. This will increase traffic to the account, interaction, and followers who love cooking and good eating.

Promotions

Another ideal way to publicize the promotions that are in existence is by making them public through social media. More people are taking advantage of ads to reach a more significant number of people who may not yet know the site or do not know about the discounts offered.

Giveaways

A popular and effective method for getting followers instantly is giveaways or contests. Supermarkets are excellent places to implement this, given the possibility of allying with essential brands and offering good prices.