What to do when your retail website becomes your primary storefront

In mid-March, when the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic began to become clear, I talked to more than 40 of our retail customers about their concerns and asked how Google could help. Weeks later, I’m continuing to hear from these customers about the challenges they’re facing, especially with the ongoing closures or restrictions on their physical stores.
Consumers are facing uncertainty too. More than 50% of U.S. shoppers searched for what is open or closed near them last week. So the pressure is now on retailers’ new primary stores — their e-commerce sites —  to not only sell inventory and generate revenue, but also to support, inform, and reassure customers along the way. It’s a delicate balancing act, but not an impossible one, and I’ve worked with my team to identify eight strategies that retailers can apply to provide their customers with relevant, frictionless, and helpful shopping experiences right now. Read more…