Despite the growth of digital marketing and e-commerce, physical stores remain a major part of the cell phone industry. In the U.S., 41% of people prefer shopping for phones in person, while 16% don’t have a preference between buying online or in store.
For most customers, buying a new phone is a substantial purchase that requires careful consideration. That’s why having a good point of sale marketing strategy matters. With the right approach, you can answer customer questions, direct them to the right devices, and upsell them on accessories or phone plans.
Here are three ideas to improve your point of sale marketing, drive device and phone plan sales, and encourage impulse purchases.
1. Increase Revenue With Accessory Bundling at Checkout
Accessory bundling is a popular point of sale marketing strategy in cell phone stores. When customers buy a cell phone, they typically also buy extras like charging cables, phone cases, and screen protectors for their devices. Offering these accessories as a bundle at checkout makes it easy for customers to get what they need in one purchase.
Here are some accessory bundle ideas you can offer at the counter:
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Protection bundle: Bundle the customer’s smartphone with a matching case and compatible screen protector. This way, they get all the items they need to protect their phones from impacts and scratches.
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Fitness package: Consider offering a specific phone with a smartwatch or fitness band from the same manufacturer. For example, you can pair a Samsung smartphone with a Gear Fit smartwatch at a reduced price. This is ideal for fitness-conscious customers or individuals looking to try their first smartwatch.
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Travel charging package: Offer a package of charging essentials for long-distance travel alongside the phone, such as spare charging cables, a car charging accessory, and a power bank.
To encourage even more purchases, try promoting these packages at a discount. For instance, instead of selling each accessory separately at full price, offer both accessories at a discount, like 10% or 20% off, if purchased together.
Make sure these offers are clearly advertised at the checkout counter and other strategic areas of your store with visually appealing signage at the cash registers, shelf talkers, and digital price displays. Your customers will appreciate the convenience of buying everything they need in one go, increasing retention rates and the average transaction value.
2. Turn Old Phones Into Instant Sales
The average cell phone user in the U.S. trades in their device every 3.5 to 3.8 years, depending on the brand and operating system. More people are choosing to trade in their old phones for an upgrade at the checkout, which creates a huge opportunity for stores.
With a hassle-free trade-in process, you’ll keep customers returning and encourage more frequent upgrades. Here are some services worth offering:
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Transparent valuation offers: Based on a customer’s phone’s make, model, and condition, give them a no-nonsense trade-in offer on the spot. Quick, fair quotes build trust and make it easier for them to say yes to an upgrade.
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Trade-in bonuses for specific devices: Offer incentives to trade in older phones for newer devices by providing extra trade-in credits or additional value. For example, if a customer wants to trade in their current model for a next-generation flagship smartphone, you can offer an additional $50 or $100 worth of trade-in credits.
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Time-limited trade-in credits: Combine trade-in offers with seasonal promotions or time-limited offers at specific periods, such as holiday season credits or birthday specials. These are opportunities to incentivize customers even more while offering them extra value.
After taking in preowned devices, use your point of sale (POS) system’s inventory manager to track them accurately. Look for features designed for used and resale stock. Keeping these devices separate from new inventory helps keep things organized, speeds up prep time for resale, and lowers the chance of items going missing.
3. Build Loyalty Programs That Keep Customers Coming Back
Loyalty programs may be a point of sale marketing staple, but many businesses aren’t using them to their full potential.
In the U.S., customers sign up for an average of 18 loyalty programs, but actively use fewer than half. A program that isn’t marketed well can lead to missed sales and lost customer retention opportunities.
To make your cell phone store’s loyalty program worth joining, it should be:
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Simple to use: Your loyalty program should have clear rules and a straightforward rewards system. The easier it is to earn and redeem rewards, the more likely customers will stay engaged.
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Well-communicated: Loyalty programs are like store promotions in many ways — if you want to attract customers and make sure they take advantage of it, you must clearly communicate its benefits. Use POS marketing tools, like displays or verbal offers from staff, to ensure customers know how to participate in your loyalty program.
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Easy to manage: When implementing a loyalty program, you need a POS software solution with comprehensive customer relationship management (CRM) tools to keep it on track. It allows you to create and manage detailed customer profiles, which track purchase history, loyalty point balances, and other relevant details.
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Personalized offers: Offering customized deals is an excellent way to make your customers feel valued and encourage them to use loyalty programs. For example, you can offer special discounts around a customer’s birthday or deals on specific devices if their history shows they prefer a particular brand.
Each store’s loyalty program uses a different approach, such as point-based systems, membership tiers, or trade-in credits. Use the model that makes the most sense for your business, sales objectives, and customers’ preferences.
Develop a Point of Sale Marketing Strategy for Your Cell Phone Store
Building a strong point of sale marketing strategy means developing and executing the right ideas for your cell phone store. You’ll know that your strategies are successful when you see increased sales, higher average transaction values, more satisfied customers, and a stronger sense of loyalty to your store.
But to make sure your cell phone store’s marketing plan is set up for success, you need an all-in-one POS system. CellSmart POS is a dedicated software solution with a complete range of marketing and customer relationship management tools.
Don’t let missed opportunities hurt your sales — schedule a demo of CellSmart today.
