Retail Store Marketing in 2026
Retail D2C firms
Foot traffic is unpredictable. Online giants undercut your prices.
And the customers who do come in don’t return as often as they used to.
Most retail stores have loyal customers who’d shop more frequently and refer friends—but nothing reminds them you exist between visits.
Why Now
Shoppers are asking AI and searching “best [product type] shop near me” before they leave home. They’re checking Google reviews, browsing Instagram for social proof, and comparing options. Stores with strong online presence and customer relationships get 5x more repeat business than those relying purely on foot traffic.
Browns Jewellers – International Luxury Retail Transformation
How ROI Growth Agency eliminated 90% of inefficient ad spend and delivered 400%+ efficiency improvement for an international luxury jeweller.
Read the full case study → here
The 5 Tactics
Firms using this get 50-70% of revenue from referrals and repeat business
The Database: 2 Emails Per Month
Your past customers will shop 3-5x more often if reminded.
- One with styling tips, how-to guides, or product spotlights (value, not sales).
- One with exclusive in-store offers, new arrivals, or VIP early access.
Key metric: Email open rate, redemption rate, repeat purchase frequency
Social Media & Google Business Profile: Weekly Updates
- New products, styling ideas, customer features, behind-the-scenes.
- Instagram for discovery, Facebook for local community, Google Business Profile for "near me" searches.
Key metric: Social engagement, Google actions (directions, calls), store visits
Systematic Referral Program
- "Refer a friend, you both get $20 off $100 spend." Send via email, print on receipts, promote in-store.
- Send after every successful project and quarterly to all past clients.
Key metric: Referrals as % of new clients (aim 40%+)
AI-Ready: Answer Questions Publicly
Helpful content positions you as the expert, not just a store.
- How to style [product]
- What's the difference between [option A] vs [option B]
- How to care for [product type]
Key metric: Content pieces (50+ yearly), traffic from search
Paid Media to Your Target Audience
- Meta ads with product videos targeting local postcodes.
- Google Local ads for product searches.
- Retarget website visitors and past customers with seasonal offers.
Key metric: Cost per customer, ROAS (aim 5:1+), in-store attribution