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12 By Martin Vilaboy A Clean Start I t could be a long time until in-store shopping returns to pre-COVID-19 levels, if ever. E-commerce, make no mistake, got an unprecedented boost in business. If physical re- tailers do desire foot traffic to return to historical levels, it will require visible investments in mitigation efforts and apparatuses. For many, maybe most, a mask and some distance are enough. For large chunks, however, a bit more might be required to make them feel safe enough to comfortably browse and maybe impulse buy. At the beginning of June, even before the country experienced its second surge of cases, 68 percent of consumers said they had yet to visit a non-essential retailer, show findings from a Shopkick survey. More than a quarter of respondents said they fear stores will be too crowded and 22 percent said they were concerned that retailers will not enforce safety precautions. A separate June survey by MySizeID found that 26 percent of respondents want the option to book a properly sterilized, private fitting room in advance of a store visit. Just less than one in five said retailers should color-code returned clothing based on how long ago the item was returned in order to make them feel safer about browsing racks. In other words, retail staff and bud- gets will have to adjust. Margins will be impacted. The good news is vendors have not wasted any time bringing all sorts of solutions to market designed to help shopkeepers instill a sense of safety among shoppers. Sales and marketing solutions pro- vider BDS Marketing , for example, announced in July the launch of its new Shopper Safety Score , call- ing it an “easy-to-understand metric that evaluates retailers’ and brands’ in-store health and safety practices,” alongside an industry standard to boost consumer confidence. Accord- ing to the company, the Shopper Safety Score serves as a promise to maintain high health and safety stan- dards so that shoppers feel confident visiting their favorite stores again as society settles into a “new normal.” “This program assists retailers in pro- tecting their in-store shoppers and show- cases their commitment to consumer safety,” explained Randy Schrock, senior vice president at BDS. “With this initia- tive, public health will stay top-of-mind, and it will be actively measured and managed on a recurring basis.” The Shopper Safety Score is based on four factors: sanitation, safety protocols, social distancing and convenience. Participating retailers will be provided their rat- ing, giving shoppers visibility into how stores are adhering to their own health and safety protocols, such as stricter cleaning protocols, requiring masks and social distancing guide- lines. The Shopper Safety Score can be displayed both online and in-store, much like how California restaurants display a food inspections grade on doors and windows. Technologies to reinvigorate in-store traffic TECH SAVVY Inside Outdoor | SPRING 2020 Store marked with Shopper Safety Store