16 Ideas to Attract Customers to Your Store (2025)

With the pandemic cementing the habit of online shopping, customers are now going into physical stores expecting an even more personalized and engaging experience. 

Online shopping allows retailers to offer an easy, fast, often tailor-made experience—which they’ve come to accept as the norm. The result is that physical stores can no longer offer in-store shoppers the bare minimum.

Instead, buyers now need a compelling reason to make the trek to a brick-and-mortar store—otherwise, those customers can get the job done online in just a few clicks.

This begs the question: How can retailers attract regular foot traffic and boost sales at their physical stores?

16 ideas to attract customers to your store

1. Invest in store design
2. Create community hubs
3. Offer gift customization and personalization
4. Make your store a sensory experience
5. Leverage one-to-one interactions
6. Make your store a multipurpose retail space
7. Make your store pet friendly
8. Create a space for shoppers to relax in
9. Make your store Instagrammable
10. Partner with other retailers
11. Create a loyalty program
12. Send personalized offers
13. Launch product drops
14. Offer flexible pickup options
15. Run geo-targeted ads
16. Run an influencer campaign

1. Invest in store design

People are drawn to well-designed spaces, and as such, brick-and-mortar store owners are investing in thoughtful, memorable store designs. From hiring interior designers to introducing engaging visual merchandising, there are many ways to elevate the in-store experience.

When retailers achieve a strong brand image paired with impeccable design, they win. 

This includes store lighting (which impacts more than just store ambiance). Lighting shapes how customers feel—consciously and subconsciously—and impacts the overall customer experience. 

In-store lighting can help create an atmosphere and guide customers through your store. This is exactly what July, a luggage and travel accessories brand, achieved using thoughtful store lighting. 

“Our thing is using design as a pull to the store. The interior architects we use to design the store create beautiful spaces that people want to be in. One of the key things is lighting design: those bright lights when you go into places just feel awkward. We like to think that we’re designing retail experiences people feel comfortable walking into. If they feel comfortable walking in, they’ll feel comfortable asking questions, and then everything else is a bonus after that.” — Athan Didaskalou, Co-Founder & Chief Strategy Officer at July

FURTHER READING: July relies on Shopify to use its physical retail stores as a research feedback loop. Check out July Luggage Flies Towards a Single View of Its Customers to learn more.

2. Create community hubs

If there’s one thing the pandemic has taught us, it’s that humans are social beings. We love socializing, meeting new people, and gathering with friends and family. In other words, we need that sense of belonging—to a group, to a place, to a community. 

Since we’re wired to strive to be part of something, local businesses that can build a community around their brand can expect higher foot traffic. The “store as a community hub” model enables merchants to interact with their customers on a regular basis to educate, gather feedback, share experiences, host events, and launch new products. 

Athleisure brand Gym+Coffee recognized this opportunity and used its stores as hubs for community gatherings. Even though the pandemic prevented it from hosting that community-first experience for a few months, as soon as things started moving back to normal, Gym+Coffee began hosting a running group from each of its eight clubhouses in the UK and Ireland every Sunday morning.

3. Offer gift customization and personalization 

Adding gift customization services in-store can be a draw for customers who want to buy something special for their loved ones. 

Sequoia Soaps is a local Quebec-based brand that does this well. Along with offering handmade soaps and skin care products, it also offers gift customization to attract more visitors in-store. In-store shoppers can build their own gift baskets and mix and match products to create the perfect personalized gift. 

“We’ve found great success with our custom gift packaging. We offer a variety of gift sets online, but in-store, we offer custom gift baskets where a customer can come in and select any combination of products. Customers love putting these together, and it adds that extra personal touch to the gift,” says Michaelee Lazore, founder of Sequoia Soaps. 

4. Make your store a sensory experience

If your in-store experience doesn’t activate all five senses—you could be missing out. Creating a multisensory atmosphere elevates the buyer’s journey, ultimately resulting in increased sales.

Chicago French Press is a coffee destination where customers can buy freshly roasted ready-to-drink coffee. The founder, Kris Christian, says that in order to create stores that tap shoppers’ five senses, these are some of the questions merchants should ask themselves:

• How will the customer be greeted?
• Does your store feel open and inviting?
• Does the music at your store create a positive vibe?
• Is there a certain scent that attracts your target customer?
• If you’re not already in the food and beverage industry, is there a special treat that customers can nibble on while shopping? (Maybe a branded mint or cookie?)
• What incentives can you create for new customers to return as they exit? (Think samples, discounts, rewards programs, etc.)

“The most traveled-to destinations are those that the visitor never forgets. When I first opened Chicago French Press, creating a company vibe was very important, which encompassed small efforts that created a big wave with our customers: warm and inviting employees, a clean and fresh aesthetic, aromatic atmosphere, branded coffee ice cubes, and a nostalgic classic soul playlist,” says Kris Christian, founder and CEO of Chicago French Press. “A memorable experience that entices every sense can forge an addictive culture that customers don’t want to miss out on.” 

5. Leverage one-to-one interactions

While many things have changed in the world of retail, one thing remains constant: customer experience can make or break your business.

Customers are more likely to make repeat purchases with brands that offer excellent customer service. But brick-and-mortar retailers have one significant advantage in customer service: the chance to offer one-to-one human interactions. 

This is where modern point-of-sale systems make a real difference. With Shopify POS, store staff can step away from the counter and help customers anywhere in the store. They can quickly look up a customer's previous purchases, check if an item is available at another location, or even help someone complete their online shopping cart from earlier that day.

These tools help turn casual browsers into buyers. Companies using Shopify POS report their sales grow by 8.9% on average when they connect their online and in-store systems. Staff spend more time actually helping customers instead of managing different systems or searching for information.

Both new and existing customers want undivided attention and personalized advice when shopping. The result is often on-the-spot purchasing.

6. Make your store a multipurpose retail space

The mix of retail and café experiences opens up the doors for new audiences that wouldn’t normally walk into your store. Repurposing a segment of your store to introduce a café or even a restaurant creates community-building opportunities. 

Forth & Nomad is a Texas-based retailer that uses its retail space for community. The curated lifestyle boutique features home goods, apparel, and accessories. In its Houston location, customers can shop, take a workshop, and grab coffee. 

A customer might come in for a coffee and browse retail items while waiting, or someone taking a candle-making workshop might purchase additional home goods before leaving. 

They spend more time (and typically more money) in the store. Instead of a quick 15-minute shopping trip, customers might stay for 1-2 hours enjoying different experiences.

7. Make your store pet friendly

Making your customers’ pets feel welcome can go a long way toward building loyal customers. However, just saying that your store is pet friendly isn’t enough. Put out some water bowls and offer treats for the animals. 

Keep in mind that there may be legal limitations you need to consider. Check with your local health and safety boards to make sure you’re not breaking any rules.

8. Create a space for shoppers to relax in

From snacks and arcade games to massage chairs and rock climbing walls, merchants are going the extra mile to create “stay awhile” experiences for in-store shoppers. 

The direct-to-consumer furniture brand Yardbird, for example, has showrooms that offer a laid-back space for shoppers to relax in. Staff give white-glove service to each customer, and they use Shopify POS to take orders and manage checkout wherever shoppers are in the store.

The overall vibe in Yardbird’s showrooms reinforces its brand image and lifestyle—and also creates opportunities for social media content creation. 

9. Make your store Instagrammable 

It’s all about content creation nowadays, isn’t it? Customers love places where they can shop, enjoy, and take pictures. With 1 billion monthly active users, Instagram is changing the retail design industry. Retailers are transforming their stores into content studios, enabling visitors to create content for their social media, blogs, and websites while in-store. 

The best part: Retailers can later leverage the ready-made, authentic user-generated content for their owned channels. Wish’s Atlanta retail space is a perfect example of an Instagrammable store. Its displays almost turn the shop into an art gallery, and the products into unique art pieces. 

10. Partner with other retailers

You can always join forces with other retailers to reach new audiences and bring more foot traffic. 

The concept is straightforward: Retailers can partner up to sell their products together under the same roof. Basically, they become retail roommates. Retail partnerships seem to be working well for many retailers.

DTC mattress brand Leesa teamed up with West Elm to put its products in retail stores. Customers can experience the comfort of Leesa mattresses firsthand, making the purchasing decision easier. And they can also browse the rest of West Elm’s furniture and home goods offerings. 

At the same time, West Elm becomes a one-stop-shop for all home furnishing needs. 

11. Create a loyalty program

Loyalty programs are a great way to encourage customers to spend more. You can build out your own customer loyalty program to add incentives to purchases and repeat business. Offer loyalty points or rewards that are earned and redeemed both online and in-store, encouraging customers to engage across channels. In-store visits could yield exclusive “bonus points.”

Omnichannel resort wear brand Kenny Flower has its own loyalty program to promote repeat purchases. Its Island Society loyalty program incentivizes purchases, both online and in-store. If it wants to drive more in-store visits, it can run a campaign to add extra rewards for store visits and purchases.

12. Send personalized offers

Personalization is an effective way to build stronger customer relationships, which in turn lead to more sales. Thanks to POS technology, you can offer personalization in-store, not just online. 

A mobile POS or app can track customer activity and present that information to your associates so that they can offer thoughtful, custom suggestions and service. You can also run promotions and campaigns personalized to your audience based on their history with your brand. For example, if you sell bathing suits, and you launch a style in a new print, you might send an offer to everyone who’s purchased that style before. 

You can add and manage customer profiles directly in the Shopify POS app. This feature allows you to track customer purchases and preferences, enabling personalized marketing efforts that can draw in new customers.

Apparel brand RUDSAK uses Shopify POS to offer personalized promotions. Shopify POS also helped cut in-store transaction time in half, averaging less than a minute per purchase and making the in-store experience even more enjoyable. 

13. Launch product drops

Leverage product drops for new or limited-edition items that customers can only access by visiting the store. You can use customer data to alert loyal or high-value customers about these events first. This will help you build buzz and anticipation leading up to the event. 

Say you run a streetwear boutique and plan to drop an exclusive collection of limited-edition sneakers. Your POS data reveals that your most valuable customers tend to be sneakerheads who spend more than $2,000 a year, mostly on weekend afternoons. These are the customers you’d want to reward with early access.

You could set up a tiered release, starting with your VIPs getting first dibs at 9 a.m., followed by regular customers at noon, and finally opening it to everyone at 3 p.m. Your POS data would help you stock the right sizes, too. If you know most premium customers wear sizes 9 to 10.5, you’d adjust your inventory accordingly.

14. Offer flexible pickup options

Customers receive their orders in a number of ways, and retail stores are more than just shops. They’re the destination for customers to address all sorts of needs—discovering your products, purchasing your products, learning about your brand, returning purchases, picking up online purchases, and more. Retail stores are now brand hubs. 

One way to drive traffic to your hubs is to offer flexible pickup options, both for in-store and online shoppers. Buy online, pickup in-store (BOPIS), for example, was adopted by many in the height of COVID-19, but has stuck around. Likewise, you can offer in-store return drop-offs for online orders too. 

Offbeat Bikes is a retailer that has seen a lot of success since implementing BOPIS options with Shopify POS. It has since increased year-over-year bike accessory sales by 400% and kids’ bike sales by 100%. 

15. Run geo-targeted ads

Use location-based customer data to run targeted paid advertising campaigns. You might push special in-store promotions to nearby customers, inviting them to visit with personalized local deals. 

To make the most of geo-targeting, use Google Ads, Meta Ads, and other ad networks that allow precise audience segmentation based on proximity to your store. Tailor your messaging to highlight special in-store events, limited-time discounts, or exclusive products.

By using location-specific callouts like “just around the corner” or “available today in [city name],” you can create a sense of urgency and relevance. You can also integrate your geo-targeted ads with your loyalty program or personalized offers to further incentivize in-store visits.

16. Run an influencer campaign

Influencers can be effective partners for building brand awareness and driving in-store traffic. Collaborate with local influencers who align with your brand values and target audience to showcase your store’s offerings, ambiance, and experiences.

You can invite influencers to host events at your store, provide exclusive previews of new products, or feature your store in their content through shopping vlogs or social media posts. Encourage them to share their experience with their followers, highlighting what makes your store unique. You might also team up with an influencer and offer to sell their products in your retail space. 

Hill House Home launched its black Nap Dress and sold $1 million worth of inventory in 12 minutes. Influencer marketing has been a key component of Hill House Home’s path to success—it now has its own retail shop where it can test new concepts and build deeper customer relationships. 

Bring more customers in-store: put these ideas to work

Stores have always been an asset for retail businesses, and they will continue to be. However, the strategic importance of these spaces has shifted toward delivering engaging experiences—and that’s the best way to bring customers in-store.