The 2024 State of Business Texting Report: What it Means for Retailers

By Jessica Ayre

The 2024 State of Business Texting Report created by Text Request uncovers key insights and strategies for a wide range of industries using text messaging, including retail. The report covers benefits, challenges and opportunities associated with business texting. Let’s dive into the main takeaways for retail businesses.

How Does Texting Benefit Retail Businesses?

Retail businesses rely on customer engagement and satisfaction to thrive. Enabling customers to text for their needs will strengthen their relationship with your business, leading to more repeat customers and increased revenue over time. Below are three useful ways texting benefits your retail business:

1. Improve customer service communications with texting.

Let customers text your business for any service needs. From there, retailers can use texting to quickly respond to customer inquiries, address concerns promptly, and offer personalized assistance. Three-quarters of businesses already text for customer service, and your retail establishment should start if you aren’t already.

2. Use texting to collect more feedback and reviews.

Text messages naturally have a high open rate and are a surefire way to get your review request seen almost instantly.

In the report, survey participants were asked what they wished their organization was texting for, and the No. 1 response was for online reviews and feedback (35 percent).

After a customer has completed a transaction, text them a quick thank you along with a direct link to your review page. Be sure to keep your request concise and direct. Pre-made text message templates come in handy here so you don’t have to craft a message each time.

3. Send promotional messages via SMS marketing campaigns.

SMS marketing campaigns are a great way to get your promotions in front of customers, especially if they're time-sensitive. Seventy-four percent of people read every text they get, which gives you a good chance of getting people’s attention anytime you run a promotion.

You can text customers promotions related to:

discounts and coupons;
flash sales;
new product launches;
VIP or loyalty rewards; and
referral programs.

Keep your promotions concise and avoid being pushy or scammy. Customers only want to know information that’s relevant and useful to them.

Top Takeaways for Retail Texting in 2024

Texting for Customer Service Will Rise in Popularity

Texting has become the standard mode of communication for customer service across multiple industries, highlighting the growing expectation for this medium. It’s just more convenient for customers.

There Will Be More Opportunities to Collect Reviews Through Text Messaging

Businesses have not fully tapped into the potential of using texting to collect customer reviews, presenting a valuable opportunity to use it. This is your lowest-hanging fruit and biggest opportunity to improve your marketing and revenue.

Challenges to Track and Prove ROI

Organizations struggle to measure its return on investment (ROI), emphasizing the need for stronger metrics, including revenue earned specifically through SMS. You’ll do well to track this throughout the year.

Start Texting Now

Integrating the usage of text messaging into your everyday communications will help get your promotions seen faster, increasing revenue in turn. A well-equipped business texting platform will empower your retail business to: