Business is booming in e-commerce — an industry with annual sales of more than $2.3 trillion worldwide. But the success of online retail doesn’t mean brick-and-mortar is dead. In fact, smart retailers view online tactics as a way to boost in-store foot traffic rather than a replacement for physical store shopping experiences.

As more and more consumers start their shopping journeys online and complete them in-store, retailers need to focus on their physical store experience as much as their digital presence. With Research Online, Purchase Offline gaining momentum, it’s time to get serious about strategies to boost in-store foot traffic.

Use online tactics to drive in-store engagement

Rumors about the death of brick-and-mortar are exaggerated, to say the least. This year, 90% of holiday shoppers are expected to purchase in-store, while 97% of shoppers will buy products from online retailers that also have physical stores. And 82% of consumers conduct initial product research online before going to a brick-and-mortar to complete the purchase, a trend that is especially relevant for big-ticket items.

Given consumer preferences for ROPO and other behaviors, the growth of e-commerce only threatens retailers that fail to fully embrace digitization. Going forward, a robust online presence will complement and drive in-store sales, not replace them.

With that in mind, here are several online tactics to consider as you look to increase in-store foot traffic:

●    Local inventory ads: A high percentage of consumers (80%) will purchase in-store if they know they can immediately obtain an item they want. Google Local Inventory Ads provide visibility to local inventory by directing shoppers to a Google-hosted page or local storefront — resources that allow shoppers to browse your complete in-store inventory as well as promotions, hours, directions and other information. Facebook’s Dynamic Ads for Retail provides similar benefits. In both cases, these online tools drive in-store sales by motivating consumers to participate in brick-and-mortar experiences.

●    Click-and-collect: Consumers enjoy the convenience of shopping online, but they also want to receive their items as quickly as possible. Click-and-collect or BOPIS offers the best of both worlds because it allows consumers to purchase items online and immediately collect them from a local brick-and-mortar. When online customers visit your brick-and-mortar location, they’re likely to make additional purchases — more than two-thirds of holiday shoppers (69%) made additional purchases when they participated in BOPIS.

●    Google My Business listings: Consumers rely on local search to identify brick-and-mortar shopping opportunities. So, it’s important to keep your Google My Business listing up to date and optimized (e.g., photos, company logo, hours, directions) for local shoppers. Although it’s useful to maintain a single Google My Business account to preserve consistency, each retail location should have its own My Business account to provide area shoppers with accurate local information.

●    Google Shopping Actions: The Shopping Actions program displays your products across multiple Google surfaces (e.g., Assistant, Express, Google.com). Featuring a universal shopping cart and Google-hosted checkout process, Shopping Actions makes it easier for customers to complete purchases, which ultimately increases the amount of revenue generated from both online and in-store shoppers.

●    In-store returns for online orders: Allowing in-store returns of products purchased online incentivizes online customers (who are predisposed to purchase from your store) to visit brick-and-mortar locations. In-store returns are much more convenient than dealing with shopping and handling requirements, and they allow customers to complete the return process immediately. Mobile apps with return features (e.g., the Walmart app) can make the process even more efficient for customers.

●    In-store promotions for newsletter subscribers: Newsletters offer a unique opportunity to deliver in-store promotions to online customers. By serving up in-store-only discount offers in newsletters, you can increase brick-and-mortar foot traffic and generate additional revenue opportunities. Personalize newsletter offers by geography to drive online users to specific store locations. If they enjoy the experience, chances are they will return to their local brick-and-mortar for additional purchases.

●    Social media engagement: Social media creates opportunities to engage customers in conversations that encourage in-store visits and create connections to the brick-and-mortar experience. In addition to offering exclusive in-store promotions on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, consider promotions or contests that engage customers who are already in-store (e.g., a promotion that requires shoppers to submit photos related to the brick-and-mortar buying experience).

The line between online and offline retail experiences blurs more and more each day. Consumers don’t want to choose between e-commerce or brick-and-mortar buying opportunities. They want to create their own buying experiences using the best elements of both worlds.

As a retailer, you need to meet customers where they are and provide opportunities for them to make purchases on their own terms. By promoting in-store experiences online, you can improve the buying experience by giving shoppers additional options — and create opportunities for greater revenue, increased loyalty and other benefits at the same time.

Marcel Hollerbach is CMO at Productsup.