According to Sebastian Krogh, Business Development Manager at Location Bank, passive buyers are the browsers and window shoppers (both online and offline) who may have a real problem or need. They may show interest in a product or service and will even put effort into the sale – although not very much.
They’re also likely to engage with multiple vendors. An active buyer is someone who is committed to buying a specific product or service, and is more likely to be a repeat customer.
As people return to freedom of movement with eased restrictions, store owners will be glad to see anyone walking into their shop – even if it is simply out of interest. However, a person walking into the store with actual purchase intent is far more valuable.
It is safe to say that searching for a product or service online before a customer actually engages with your business is the norm – this is known as research online, purchase offline (ROPO). Intent to purchase is an extraordinarily strong indicator of a potential sale, and the strength of intent is the metric we use to define a customer as a passive or active shopper.
If your local business is found in an online search, there is a far greater chance of people visiting your store. Why? Because search equals intent. But there is a catch. The search result (your business listing) must be informative and accurate.
Once a potential customer finds a product or service they are interested in, they’ll be able to engage with a brand’s Google My Business (GMB) listing by either calling the store, visiting the brand’s website, or navigating to the physical location. They are also able to click on a promotional post, ask a question, browse through reviews, and look at the operating hours, images, products and more – all without leaving the search environment.
Your brand needs to win the local search battle. This means managing your digital locations. Your brand will also need to create a consistent digital presence across your GMB listing, your own site’s store locator, Facebook, Apple Maps, WhatsApp, Uber and many more platforms that potential customers might be searching on.
