Retailers can step up to the plate and demonstrate a commitment to the environment by implementing sustainable practices internally and presenting customers with eco-friendly options, such as digital receipts and recyclable packaging. Store owners can increase their visibility within a community by taking small steps. These efforts can add up quickly and prevent a retail location from leaving a damaging footprint on the Earth. Lighten your carbon footprint while improving marketing efforts? It’s a given.
Paperless Receipts
Explore point of sale and merchant services that allow you to send customers digital receipts. This can dramatically cut down on the amount of paper your business uses, and this will be less paper that winds up in the landfill. Just think of how many people ask for a receipt only to crumple it up and toss it away later. Present all of your customers with the receipt email option.
This also gives your sales associates the opportunity to ask customers if they’d like to subscribe to regular email promotions. Monitor your paper expenditures after implementing the email receipt option to see how itimpacts resource consumption. Chances are, the emailed receipts will also help your company save on paper supplies and it has the added benefit of showcasing to consumers how green your company is. More and more shoppers are looking to support eco-friendly businesses, and this is a free marketing tactic to show your sustainable leanings.
Recyclable Packaging
Packaging enjoys a very short, practical lifespan. It protects your products while they are in transit and while they sit on the shelves. However, they almost always end up in the trash later on, contributing to landfill issues. Explore recyclable packaging options and inform your customers every time they make a purchase. This will open up dialogues regarding sustainability, and your customers will notice these green efforts.
Some food service industries even give their customers store credit for containers, such as glass bottles, which are brought back to a retail location. Another option is offering durable goods (such as the travel mugs offered in many coffeeshops) that feature your company’s name. You can offer a small discount for consumers who bring in these mugs (or other products) which means they save money, you get free advertising, and it opens up an entirely new market for your bottom line.
Power Efficiency
Retail spaces can consume a significant amount of energy. Some of it cannot be avoided – you need consistent power for product displays, signage, and computer systems. However, you can replace your equipment with energy efficient alternatives. Electronics labels with the federal ENERGY STAR logo have eco-friendly power saver modes, which can help lower electricity bills.
Retail business owners can take responsible steps toward sustainable transactions by reassessing their receipt processes, packaging, and power usage. These efforts can open up new avenues within your community. Talk to consultants about reducing your business expenditures even more by streamlining billing processes and digital communications. Being proactive about sustainable retail practices can help your company make an intensely positive impact in your community.