How Entrepreneurs and Small Brands Can Navigate the New Digital Retail Era

The popularity of the QR code has skyrocketed in recent years. These codes are printed on product packaging and allow access to essential data that encourages purchasing decisions. Often, these codes are used to describe a consumer’s experience with a certain product.

Small brands are banking on the likelihood of having a more direct connection with consumers via a QR-based experience. The growing QR code trend indicates how important a brand’s online physical presence and identity are. Some studies suggest that over 80% of the consumer’s shopping adventure is now happening online.  

Entrepreneurs can plan for this advanced era of physical and digital convergence and monitor the fast-evolving shopper behavior in various ways, as we shall see below:

Monitoring the Code

Data carriers such as the QR code and barcode provide extensive information. Because of the complexities of delivering goods around the world, retailers and brands are working together to release more data in order to improve efficiency, promote transparency, and gain customer trust.

Increased customer demand for data transparency has triggered brands and retailers to embrace two-dimensional barcodes before 2027, an upgrade from linear UPC barcodes. Advanced technical standards such as GS1 Digital Link could web-authorize products, allowing shoppers to access customized product data.  

Think Autonomous 

Sudden changes in consumer shopping behavior are triggered by tech-based store experiences like scan-and-go, cashierless checkouts, and other methods of improving store trips with minimal human interaction. For instance, recently, Kroger collaborated with Caper on the KroGo smart cart systems that come with a scale, barcode scanner, and a touchscreen to enable shoppers to scan and pack on the go.

To compete with big brands, smaller brands thus require a robust base of analytical data that is compatible with retailer systems. These advanced systems will give brands enhanced inventory control and make them visible to new partners.  

Improve Your Digital Presence 

While physical stores are still popular, many shoppers are choosing eCommerce shopping instead. For example, subscription eCommerce sales grew by more than 40% at the peak of the pandemic in 2020.

As shoppers prefer home delivery, a product's digital identity becomes the only significant identity, a vital link between the shopper and the product. Often, this relationship could result in a return or satisfaction.  

Complete and precise product listings loaded with reviews, images, and proper labeling can transform sales and position small brands on the same level as big brands. Including photos and characteristics in product listings is therefore extremely crucial.

Emerging direct-to-consumer brands can leverage advanced tools to increase user-generated content and consumer reviews. These critical selling points all play significant roles in effective product listing. 

Sweet Tips from Ally:

Although retail had already been growing in recent years, the pandemic was what really accelerated innovation in the industry. Entrepreneurs and small brands can leverage these new opportunities to scale, stay ahead of their competitors, and increase revenue to successfully navigate the digital retail era.