• by Ray Schultz , Columnist, April 6, 2023

Have you ever heard of email clienteling? That’s when store associates text or email customers about deals, discounts, new arrivals, product availability, promotions, and in-store events, according to Consumer Expectations for Store Associates’ Omnichannel Capabilities Are On The Rise, a new study by NewStore.  

Of the consumers polled, 57% now demand this type of service, up from 48% in 2021. In addition, 49% want text clienteling, versus 37% in 2021.  

At the same time, 35% now expect email remote selling, compared to 26% two years ago, and 34% desire text remote selling, a 12% increase in the same time period.  

That’s not all they want: 62% now hope to buy online/return in-store, an 11% hike over 2021, and 53% feel associates should accept returns for items bought at other stores, a 9% increase.

In addition, 46% of consumers desire in-store shopping appointments, a 13% hike. And 25% crave virtual meetings, a 3% boost.

And if they do buy something, 72% insist that store associates send them a receipt via email or text, a 3% increase over 2021.  

What’s more, shoppers feel associates should be able to access their loyalty profiles and apply rewards with only their name, a 5% rise. 

And, they wish store associates would find out-of-stock items elsewhere and ship them (66%) or pick up the order at another store (68%). 

Meanwhile, 64% of shoppers expect associates to accept contactless payment methods like Apple Pay, Google Pay, Venmo, and PayPal, roughly flat with 2021.

Moreover, the economy is affecting the willingness to shop in-store (43%) and online (45%).

The study concludes that “brands must prioritize exceptional service and omnichannel experiences that cater to the diverse needs of their customers.”

Only one more thing: Couldn’t they find a better word than “clienteling?”

NewStore recently surveyed over 1,000 shoppers and compared the results to those of its 2021 survey.