Amazon 2020 success confirms shift to online purchasing
Retailers must sharpen the digital and data skills of workers to ensure they thrive in a changing world. Questionmark, the online assessment provider, can help employers test the prevalence of these skills among the workforce.
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“Experts agree that physical retail has a future. By equipping staff with skills for that future, employers can ensure they continue to thrive, despite the changes in consumer habits. ”
The news that Amazon’s British revenue soared by 51% to $26.4bn is the latest sign that shoppers have shifted further into online purchasing during the pandemic.1 United States (US) consumer spending on e-commerce rose by 32.4% during the same period.2
Analysts predict that physical retailers still have a fruitful future despite the change in consumer habits. But they will need to incorporate e-commerce into their delivery models3 and transform physical shopping into a first-class customer experience.
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To achieve this, employers must ensure the following skills are developed and strengthened among the workforce:
- Digital sales and marketing – even with physical shops delivering the experience, many sales will take place digitally. Workers need the skills to market and sell products accordingly.
- Data literacy – digitalizing services will help generate a wealth of data on customers and their habits. But employees must understand how to use that data properly.
- Product knowledge – consumers know they can access information online. They will demand a depth of specialist knowledge from physical retailers.
- Customer service – dealing effectively with customers has always been a crucial retail skill. But it will now become the quality that differentiates physical shopping from digital purchasing.
Lars Pedersen, CEO of Questionmark, said: “Experts agree that physical retail has a future. By equipping staff with skills for that future, employers can ensure they continue to thrive, despite the changes in consumer habits.
“To strengthen skills, employers need a clear read on the current state of play. Assessing the skills of employees reveals where strengths and weaknesses lie. Employers can make better decisions around training, recruitment and management.”
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