Guides & tips

8 ways to increase sales and wow customers with Waitwhile

Waitwhile takes the frustration out of waiting in line while keeping your customers and employees safe during COVID-19. With our virtual waitlist, occupancy tracking, curbside pickup, appointment scheduling, and more, we’ve helped thousands of businesses transform the way their customers shop.

Christoffer Klemming

Published at 2021-03-02

3 min read

8 ways to increase sales and wow customers with Waitwhile

1. Virtual waitlist

Save your customers countless hours of waiting in line, eliminate lines in front of your store or fitting room, and keep your occupancy rates safe.

How it works

Shoppers can join your virtual line via text, QR code, or web sign-up. Once signed in, they can monitor their place in line and will get a text, email, or both when their turn is coming up. Waitwhile uses machine learning to monitor and help you improve wait times, sales staff availability, and guest services.

Brands that use Waitwhile’s virtual waitlist feature:
Louis Vuitton, IKEA, Best Buy, Patagonia, REI, and many more.

Waitwhile waitlist app graphic of a car with an open trunk during curbside pickup

2. Curbside pickup (or click and collect)

Allow customers to pick up their order curbside in a way that’s safe and convenient. 

How it works

Shoppers can join your curbside waitlist once they arrive at your store. While their order is being filled, they’ll be able to get real-time wait time updates from the comfort of their vehicle until the moment their order is delivered directly to them. 

At the same time, your staff will be notified when customers arrive curbside so they can quickly prioritize between indoor and curbside shoppers. 

Brands that use Waitwhile’s curbside pickup feature:
IKEA, Best Buy

Waitwhile waitlist app graphic of a mobile phone with customers count on the screen

3. Occupancy tracking

Waitwhile waitlist app graphic of a man standing in front on a big digital schedule

Track and manage your occupancy in real-time.

How it works

Keep track of customers entering and exiting your store manually or automatically. Once you reach capacity, shoppers will be prompted to join your virtual waitlist. 

Brands that use Waitwhile’s occupancy tracking feature:
Victoria’s Secret, Best Buy, Nike, Sobey’s

4. In-store shopping appointments

Allow shoppers to pick a time to shop 1:1 with product experts.

How it works

Set appointment availability, assign staff, and decide how to customize the shopping experience to make customers feel like VIPs. You can then embed the in-store appointment feature directly into your website or share it via email.

Brands that use Waitwhile’s in-store appointment feature:
Fleet Feet, Everlane, Westfield

8 ways to increase sales and wow customers with Waitwhile

5. Virtual shopping appointments

Offer virtual video appointments, product demos, styling assistance, and more to customers who are not ready to visit in person. 

How it works

Select your preferred virtual meeting platform (e.g. Zoom, Skype), set your appointment availability, and customize your communications to match your business. Waitwhile will then send shoppers and staff a unique video link prior to their scheduled appointment.

Brands that use Waitwhile’s virtual appointment feature:
Canada Goose, Everlane.
Psst…. see it live here Canada Goose virtual shopping appointments.

Waitwhile waitlist app graphic of three persons symbolizing staff members

6. Concierge Service for personal shopping & VIPs

Treat your VIP shoppers to a Concierge Service experience with your most knowledgeable staff members.

How it works

A greeter with an iPad is all it takes to connect your VIP customers with the best-suited sales people working that day. The greeter can register the customer and note any special requests (e.g. language preferences). This in turn notifies the sales team. Your customer can browse the store or grab a coffee while they wait and will be notified via text message when their sales person is ready. 

Brands that use Waitwhile’s Concierge Service feature:
Louis Vuitton, Balenciaga

Waitwhile waitlist app graphic of a mobile with an alert notification on the screen

7. Store events

Create a guest list, check customers in, and make sure capacity is at a safe level with our Store events feature.

How it works

Prior to your event, set up your guest lists and start collecting RSVPs. You’ll then be able to add available event times for guests to pick from and use the virtual waitlist to let guests enter your space and track occupancy in a convenient way.

Brands that use Waitwhile’s store events feature:
Louis Vuitton, Everlane, Supreme

Waitwhile waitlist app graphic of a tablet coming out of the box

8. Product releases

Drum up excitement for your next product launch with Waitwhile. 

How it works

Give customers the red carpet treatment for your next product release. You’ll be able to invite them to join a pre-launch waitlist and get their coveted item before the crowds or prompt them to schedule an invite-only appointment where they can pick up their item in person. 

Brands that use Waitwhile’s product release feature:
Balenciaga, Supreme

With Waitwhile, you’re in good company

Waitwhile is trusted by some of the most prestigious brands in the world and has delighted 100M+ shoppers and counting by making waiting in line feel like not waiting at all.

8 ways to increase sales and wow customers with Waitwhile

Ready to get started?

The Waitwhile team is expert at helping retailers design and implement a shopping experience of the future. We’ll be happy to help you create the experience that’s best suited for your business by pulling together from a set of available features.

Email us at retail@waitwhile.com for a free consultation with a member of our team!

In this article:

retail store ,

customer experience ,

customer satisfaction ,

sales ,

business growth ,

how-to

Profile picture of Christoffer Klemming
Christoffer Klemming

Chris is the CEO and co-founder of Waitwhile, who previously spent a decade at Google as a product manager growing products like AdWords, Chromebooks, Chrome, and Google Fiber.

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