In its quest to quell consumer anxiety over venturing into clothing stores to browse and shop, TimeTrade debuted a new software for retailers hoping to quiet shoppers’ coronavirus concerns.
Based in Tewksbury, Mass., TimeTrade, which bills itself as a “leader in appointment-driven personalization,” says its Retail Recovery Package is a software-as-a-service (SaaS) scheduling solution offering a platform for both virtual and in-store appointments at any number of number of locations.
In a dynamic and unpredictable retail market, TimeTrade CEO Bill Clark said finding a way to successfully reopen could be a matter of survival for some discretionary merchants.
“For many retailers, the coming days will determine not simply if they can re-open, but if they can survive the incredible business disruption the pandemic has created,” Clark said. “While in-store shopping is likely to look very different from pre-pandemic days, retailers must work aggressively now to build an action plan for their return.”
Retailers can implement the software in a matter of days, TimeTrade said, and prescheduled appointments promote “safe physical engagement” for both consumers and associates while opening up a channel for crucial store-based sales.
In addition to also enabling virtual appointments, TimeTrade offers multiple packages for retailers depending on the services they wish to implement into their reopening strategy.
“Equally important, appointment scheduling offers a clear call to action for customers that can be used across all marketing channels—online and offline—alleviating confusion about how customers may shop, and instilling confidence in a brand’s efforts to create a safe, contact-minimizing experience,” TimeTrade said.
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The SaaS company offers its Virtual Only package for digital appointments and the Limited Store Access package for both virtual and physical appointments—including curbside or buy online, pickup in store, or BOPIS, orders.
A comprehensive enterprise solution offers additional customizations, calendar connectivity, in-store queue management and other perks.
TimeTrade counts David’s Bridal, Best Buy and Sephora among its existing clientele and said the new offering delivers a highly personalized experience and optimized allocation of in-store resources and personnel.
What’s more, TimeTrade says its clients report triple the spend per visit during pre-booked appointments compared to walk-ins.
“How retail brands respond during this pandemic, and the provisions they make for both customers and staff, will be remembered far beyond the immediate crisis,” Clark said. “This presents a unique opportunity for retailers to demonstrate their commitment to safety, consumer choice and convenience as they reopen stores.”
The Retail Recovery Package also enables retailers to gradually onboard new locations as reopen stores in accordance with lockdown restrictions.
As the retail landscape shifts quickly amid the pandemic, merchants have sought new technologies to accommodate new requirements. Fit tech provider Bold Metrics, for one, debuted Contactless Fit, an app that guides users to their best-fitting size so they can purchase clothing with confidence in stores—without having to try on garments.
And similar to TimeTrade, FareHarbor launched a similar product giving retailers a way to offer shopping appointments to consumers. New from Aislelabs, a smart counter helps retailers keep tabs on store occupancy and enforce social-distancing policies.