Whether shopping online or in stores, the shopping landscape is heavily reliant upon advertising and marketing campaigns to get goods moving. Thanks in part to ad campaigns and influencers, shoppers often zero in on products that are out of stock. There’s a way to reel in customers, using out-of-stock (OOS) products! Introducing the endless aisle concept, where no shopper leaves empty-handed. With the option of endless aisle shopping, customers can browse, order, and buy products that are OOS, or not sold in stores.

A study by Forrester states that as much as 10% of retail sales are lost due to items not being in stock. While alarming, this information can help retailers understand how to bridge the gap between in-stock products and connecting customers to those that are OOS. Salesforce e-commerce solutions like Endless Aisle give retailers the edge they need, to ensure that customers don’t navigate away, or walk out of their store without buying anything.

Shoppers never leave empty-handed

 Endless Aisle blends the line between brick-and-mortar stores and their online counterparts in the form of e-commerce platforms. In physical stores, endless aisle devices are either digital kiosks or handheld devices that allow customers to find out what other outlet of the same brand carries the product they are looking for. The customer can then pick up the products at their closest retail store, or have it delivered right to their doorstep.

The click-and-collect option allows customers to select the product they want, and find convenient store locations to pick up the items from. Click and deliver, as the name suggests, gives shoppers the choice to get their goods delivered to their homes. In stores, Bloomberg finds that 47% of store associates can now perform an endless aisle purchase for customers, an increase from 33% in 2019.

Online, the concept of endless aisle goes above and beyond merely connecting shoppers to OOS products. It offers a wide array of products, allowing customers access to products that aren’t available in-store, and fulfilling wishes. By using Endless Aisle on the Salesforce Commerce Cloud, brands can retain customers and keep them happier.

Why SFCC Endless Aisle is the smarter choice

There are several benefits to incorporating ‘endless aisle’ as a part of online, and physical store processes. Salesforce Commerce Cloud implementation of the endless aisle, either through devices in-store or as an app online, makes OOS a blessing and not a disadvantage.

How retailers benefit from Endless Aisle

  • Retailers can avoid sales losses. This usually happens when a product is OOS, and retailers do not offer further steps to take, like notifying customers when it’s back in stock. Because no alternative steps are suggested, customers will immediately navigate to competitor sites, whether they are physically in a store, or online.
  • By taking advantage of sales reports available on the SFCC dashboard, companies gain access to valuable metrics and insights, with a focus on how to improve sales. Sales associates with access to this data can provide better services and guide customers in a more meaningful way.
  • Stores with a smaller physical footprint don’t have to worry about where to display all their products. Whatever can’t be showcased in the physical location can be uploaded onto the digital catalog. This helps save on space as well as costs!
  • Brands do not need several catalogs. Instead, the same digital catalog can be used. Further, both the physical and digital aspects of the merchant are merged seamlessly to offer a richer shopping experience.

Happy customers make for happy companies

Not only do retailers benefit from SFCC Endless Aisle, but so do customers. They get what they want, instantly, so that they can shop from the same brand, whether at a physical store location, or online. A wider array of product choices provides shoppers with a fast and easy shopping experience.

Endless Aisle provides customers with a unified brand experience via their login details on the SFCC application. Customers can scan OOS products in physical store locations, and browse them on the app in real-time. By offering secure checkout and payment options, customers can immediately request and purchase products. No navigating away or leaving the store!

Salesforce Commerce Cloud partners enjoy the benefits of integrating an endless aisle approach to their sales. Find out more about how to leverage the endless aisle, and give customers an exhaustive variety of products.

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