But what about customers who aren’t online? Many customers still prefer shopping in-store, meaning it’s difficult for you to connect with them outside of their store visits to enhance their experience with your brand. Collecting email addresses and marketing consent from your in-store customers can help you connect with them when they’re not in-store.

Building a huge list of in-store customers might be tempting, but focus on getting good data first. This keeps your emails out of spam folders and landing in inboxes where customers will see them.

Don’t forget to implement double opt-in so that new subscribers need to verify their email address before they start receiving emails from you. This helps you maintain a high-quality list of valid and reachable email addresses. Sending emails to email addresses that contain typos increases your risk of emails bouncing or sending emails to spam traps, which can negatively impact your sender reputation.

Challenges collecting data in store

Capturing consent in store presents its own unique challenges. Your staff need to have conversations with customers to inform them about your marketing emails and be able to capture email addresses efficiently. Recording a customer’s email address that has been provided verbally can result in typos and errors meaning that you’re never able to reach the intended recipient.

Customers may also feel under pressure to consent to receive emails at the checkout in order to complete their transaction and may provide false or inaccurate details if they don’t see value in providing their own email address. Sending emails that are unwanted or unexpected will lead to customers reporting emails as spam which will harm your sender reputation and deliverability.

How to improve data collection in store

You may be wondering how you can extend your customer engagement beyond the purchase point and connect with in-store customers meaningfully. Gathering valuable data from these shoppers can help you build stronger relationships and personalize their brand experience, even after they leave your store. Let’s explore strategies for effectively collecting high-quality data from your in-store customers.

Transparency builds trust

Always respect customer privacy by outlining how their data will be used. This is a core principle of responsible marketing. Manage expectations about the types of emails they can expect to receive and how often, so they know exactly what they’re opting in to receive.  This transparency builds trust and fosters a positive relationship with your customers.

Educate staff for accuracy

Educate staff about the importance of capturing accurate data. There’s little value in spending time collecting and inputting data if typos and errors mean that you can’t reach the intended recipients. 

Empower customers, minimize errors

Minimize human error in the data capture process to improve the quality of the data you collect. Allowing customers to self-serve through POS integrations can significantly improve accuracy. Here are some options to consider:

• POS integrations: Modern point-of-sale (POS) systems such as Retail Express integrate with Dotdigital, enabling customers to sign up for your email list directly at checkout. This eliminates manual data entry and reduces errors.
• QR codes and NFC tags: Utilize QR codes or NFC tags at the checkout which direct users to a dedicated signup page. Staff can encourage customers to scan the QR code or tap the NFC tag to learn about the benefits of subscribing and enter their email address.
• Printed receipts: Utilize space on printed receipts to capture new subscribers by including a printed QR code and instructions to scan the code, or a link that customers can type into their browser to visit a dedicated signup page.
• Tablets at checkout: Install tablets or other devices that invite customers to sign up to receive your emails. Include the benefits of subscribing, information about what emails they can expect to receive, and key information about how you’ll manage their data.
• Inventory management: Dotdigital APAC customers can use Cin7 to improve data collection by integrating inventory, POS, and warehouse management, providing a comprehensive view of customer behavior.

Now you’ve collected email addresses from your instore customers, what’s next?

Make sure the emails you send are aligned with the expectations you set when you gain consent. Send emails that provide value to your customers and are relevant to their interests. Sending a welcome campaign upon sign up is the perfect way to remind customers that they’ve recently opted in to receive emails and to reiterate what your customers can expect from your emails. At the same time, you can direct customers to your preference center so they can let you know which emails they’re interested in receiving.