If you haven’t made a digital retail store readily available to your guests, you’re leaving money on the table. Don’t underestimate the possibilities of retail to generate incremental revenue for your property. 96 percent of all Americans have purchased goods online – 80 percent within the last month. E-commerce accounted for about $2.3 trillion in sales in 2017, and it’s projected to hit $4.5 trillion in 2021.
We had this in mind when we designed INTELITY’s retail app, which is included on our in-room tablets and our mobile guest app. Hotels, casinos, and other properties use it to create a customized, digital storefront that offers items from the gift shop or spa as well as other personalized merchandise. It can even be used to sell art pieces on display at your property, high-end cosmetics used in your spa, or in-room furnishings such as pillows and bedding used in your guestrooms.
Guests who are already using the in-room tablet or mobile app to order room service, request services, and control the TV can now see your property’s specially selected items nicely presented for purchase, as well. It is easy for them to add items to their cart, complete the purchase, and view and select tracking and shipping information.
On the property’s side, it is straightforward for staff to add and manage inventory, set availability, hide or reveal items as appropriate, and use promotions and push messages to create awareness. Orders go through INTELITY Staff, which makes it easy to ship an item to the guest’s home or deliver it to the room. Charges automatically go onto the guest’s folio.
Our retail app is just one more good reason to equip your guest rooms with in-room tablets. In-room tablets can be used to promote upgrades and upsell opportunities, including special offers, discounts, a room upgrade or spa treatments. These are offers that guests might be more inclined to accept from the calm and privacy of their room that they otherwise may forgo or not know about.
In addition to guests learning more about your facilities and offerings, and ordering room service around the clock – hotels with customized apps report a 41 percent increase in room service revenue – they can also control the room environment and the TV, make reservations on-site and off property, engage with entertainment and news apps, submit other service requests, and make purchases.
For more information on how you can increase your revenue through e-commerce, contact INTELITY to schedule a demo with a member of our team.
