What is the Meaning of Consumer Sales?

What exactly are consumer sales? This form of sale is a concept you might have been practicing long before you realize what it actually is. Regardless of the product, as long as it’s something you’ve bought for your personal consumption that is consumer sales in practice. In sales, two concepts are often confused by many: consumer sales and commercial sales. The former sees the consumer making purchases with his or her own money to satisfy their own needs. While the latter employs a third party entity’s finances, such as a company, in purchasing goods for the benefit of the organization. An example of the commercial sales practice is the B2B, or business-to-business, industry. The two concepts are often differed by the goods they supply to consumers. Whereas commercial sales involve products integral to the daily operations of a company like: machines (e.g. paper shredders or Xerox machines) and other basic office supplies; products supplied through consumer sales include: food or clothing.

Furthermore, there are other discrepancies between these two concepts of sales. Given that consumer sales caters to individuals, and not big entities, the products they provide are relatively priced lower than the goods sold in commercial sales. Inevitably, with lower-priced products comes a shorter transaction period with consumer sales companies. Lastly, it would come as no surprise to know that the players involved in a consumer sales transaction would be fewer with the sales process occurring between only seller and buyer.

Effective Consumer Sales Solutions for B2C Companies

Truth be told, those who design marketing strategies for consumer sales, also known as business-to-consumer or B2C, have relatively more creative options than those in B2B companies. It’s mostly because of the product each form of sales provide, and also because of the nature of transactions occurring between buyer and seller. With B2B transactions involving a whole lot of processes before closing a deal, B2C sales eschew the extra steps when locking in a sale. But despite this seemingly dreamy picture B2C paints, certain marketing mishaps occur that force unnecessary delays in the business’ growth. To remedy this common problem, here are marketing solutions to get you back to fighting form:

1. Offer Trials and Samples of the Product

The consumer of today is wiser than ever, and would not spend on a product whose quality they are not sure about. Earn your potential client’s trust by providing them a free-of-cost trial of your product. As much as it may seem to be extra sending on your part, the rewards of initial purchases from new buyers, and recurring sales from a list of loyal clientele will balance that out eventually. So, unless your product has reached a certain level of consumer awareness free trials and samples is the best way to market your product.

2. Give Product Coupons to Customers

Making sure that they get the utmost savings for every purchase is top priority for most consumers. And giving your buyers the best deals for their budgets should also be your responsibility. Providing product coupons to your buyers is the best way to do just that. Whether it’s a new customer wanting to try your product or a returning client who wants to place a bulk order, coupons are best when it comes to stimulating an increase in sales.

3. Allow Customers a Peek into the Product

Whether your product is as simple as beauty products, or as complex as gadgets, the easiest way to attract clients is to provide them with a free demo of your product. The sole purpose of you showing your clients how your product works is to enrich their minds. Giving them the prior knowledge before purchasing will secure both your and the client’s safety and, furthermore, their satisfaction.

4. Create Promotional Contests

When you have an established list of loyal clients, the next thing you would want to have is a list of new ones. The thought of bringing in new clients may seem overwhelming at first, but certain marketing strategies make it easier than how it seems. The creation of contests with prizes in the forms of cash, getaway trips, or products can pique those who are still unaware of your product’s existence. Customers gain entry to the contest after submitting a proof of purchase of your product; and you get to make the rather fun decision of choosing who gets to take home the price.

5. Give Customers a Cash Back Guarantee

Establishing a sense of reliability between your business and your customers is a sure fire way to create a long list of returning clients. There is just something special in knowing that a company is willing to go beyond their responsibilities even after a purchase has been made. A way to forge this assurance with your clients is to offer a “money back guarantee” for every unsatisfied customer. Also, this would also be applicable for customers who are able to send in proofs of purchase to the manufacturer of the product. This is made possible by taking off rebates from the products initial price prior to your distribution.

6. Include Bonus Premiums with Product Purchases

What would entice your consumers the most? What would lure them in to spend that extra cash on your product? Gifts, of course! Whether this freebie is attached on the outside of your product’s packaging, or enclosed within it, just the mere notion of having something to go along their purchase will inevitably make your consumers want to buy your product. It’s just that notion of getting extra for what you initially would have wanted to purchase, and who does not want that?

7. Create Price Reduction Schemes

Every product has its off-peak season within a calendar year, and it’s during these times when it is trickiest being in the sales industry. And it is your responsibility as a business owner to know when your sales statistics are at its best, and when they are not. When they are not, don’t throw the towel in just yet, because certain marketing schemes make it possible for you to still produce results; one of them being price cuts that encourage consumers to exercise their purchasing powers.

8. Offer Customer Raffles

One of the many creative and fun ways you can make the purchasing experience memorable and at the same time transcendent for your customers is through raffles. Have them submit their names online, and draw the names of eventual winners from the list you would have created with their names. This encourages inclusivity and creates a certain level of affinity between your business and your clients.

9. Encourage Recurring Purchases

So you have a good product in your hands, but is having such really enough? While a good product is the best foundation for any business wanting to succeed, it also pays to go the extra mile in securing customers to come back for your product. One good marketing technique is providing previous customers a ‘budget’ for their succeeding purchases. The amount of this ‘budget’ will be dependent on the volume of your customer’s initial purchase. Doing so will increase buyer interest, and will ensure that they come back.

Whether you are involved in B2C or B2B business, one thing is for sure: you will never run out of ideas to push your product an inch closer to success. The list you have been provided above has the common strategies most businesses find effective for pushing product sales; but these will remain useless until they have been fully optimized by you owners of businesses. Make sure that you take these solutions this article has given you, and turn those consumer sales leads to actual purchases.