So, you’re making the plunge into the kiosk retail business. You have thought long and hard, weighing the odds of how a mall kiosk would be more profitable than a brick-and-mortar store, and you have decided, “Yes, a mall kiosk retail store is best for me!”
With a kiosk, you’re right in the middle of foot traffic. Nobody has to enter a store. They walk right past you and hopefully stop to browse and buy. But how do you make your kiosk stand out?
Here are some ideas to help you get noticed, make more sales, and create more robust profits.
Unique Merchandise Selection
With a kiosk, you have a lot less space than a full-sized retail location. This enables you to focus tightly on your product niche. So, instead of being a big store that offers many products that most people want, like, and need a little bit, you offer a niche some people absolutely love and can’t do without.
Being focused is much more effective than being too general. If casual shoppers can take one brief look and say, “They sell sunglasses,” or “They sell men’s ties,” or “They sell women’s earrings,” then you know you’re going to stand out for shoppers. When consumers aren’t sure what you are selling, they tend to ignore you and walk by rather than stop to find out.
Offering unique merchandise will not only help you get shoppers’ attention but also stand out, giving you a competitive advantage over the other kiosk businesses.
Our advice is to maintain a fluid mindset and know when to change. If a product is not bringing in the ROI you envision, it’s okay to switch up your merchandise. Just make sure your kiosk can display your product properly.
Strategic Location Placement
“Something like 80% of business decisions have a location element. In fact, it’s probably higher than that.” Jack Dangermond
Have your kiosk located in areas of the mall that are busy on a regular basis. If you’re stuck down in the dead area where few people go, your kiosk won’t do much business compared to a busy area filled with foot traffic. Several engaged customers gathered around your kiosk will automatically make others want to stop and see what all the excitement is about.
Don’t forget to review and decide which nearby mall retail stores will complement your products and piggyback off their high traffic.
Eye-Catching Design
Before you order your kiosk, it’s best to make a diagram. A custom-created kiosk cart can really help streamline your business and make it shine next to others. Drawing an outline of the features your business needs, such as size, storage, and space, to function successfully will help clarify your needs to the kiosk creator.
Once you decide your business needs, it’s time to go flashy!
Kiosks should almost always be flashier with fancier decor than surrounding stores. This gives you an air of excitement and importance. Your livelier decor will turn eyes away from big-name stores and toward your kiosk. If allowed, play music that matches the style and theme of your kiosk or have videos that provide even more sensory stimulation for customers to notice and enjoy.
Lastly, ensure your retail kiosk display is a work of art. Arrange your items in an eye-catching manner, and do not overcrowd with too many items. Creating a display that is visually appealing, organized, and focused helps to attract customers and enhance their shopping experience.
Personalized and Engaging Customer Experience
Your job is to not only provide a great product but also a unique experience. If the passerby hears a friendly voice and an energetic person explaining a product, the consumer will be far more likely to notice and stop to learn more. Customers love seeing a high-energy salesperson work – but don’t stop there.
Try to provide Something different, such as product demonstrations and personalized recommendations, by offering product insights and advice for further engagement. If you sell beauty products, for example, you can provide makeup tutorials or skincare consultations to encourage interaction. These will lead to an enjoyable shopping experience and unique customer service that will set your kiosk apart!
Diverse Range of Products
Engagement with your customers will help you decide which product is best for them and with the extra storage space you opted for when designing your diagram, you will be able to provide them with multiple options.
Because you may only sell sunglasses, but you should ensure to stock a lot of different styles. Larger stores are going to carry a wide variety of items but only a few models of an item. You, by contrast, can just carry one item, but present 70 different styles. When a customer wants a specific look, capability, or solution, your kiosk may be the only store in town that carries it.
Seamless Point of Sale System
Kiosks often specialize in impulse buys. Now that you know how to increase sales at a mall kiosk and worked so hard to have all the components you need to start, you wouldn’t want a sub-par final transaction tainting your customers’ experience.
That’s why you need to make sure your kiosk business is fully equipped with an excellent Point of Sale system.
Having a fast and easy POS system can make a big difference in sales. It allows you to accept all major forms of payment and process payments very quickly and with ease while giving you full access to valuable insights with reports and statistics. This can help you Identify your best-selling items and underperforming products that may require promotion or placement adjustments to maximize sales opportunities.
At NOVA, we are committed to revolutionizing the retail experience for businesses of all sizes. Whether it’s tracking sales performance, managing schedules, or optimizing operations, we’ve got you covered. Check out how our POS system stands out amongst the rest, and request a free demo today!
