The Role of the Gig Economy in Reshaping Retail
The gig economy has grown a lot during the pandemic, providing job seekers with the opportunity to have flexible work and earn additional income. It has also provided many companies with short-term, temporary support to tackle special projects, increased demand, and other operations.
According to a survey from Monster.com, 57% of respondents say they want gig work while they’re in-between jobs, and 52% say they want long-term contracts with companies hiring gig workers.
In addition, 50% of Gen Z and 44% of Millennials, the youngest segments and the driving forces of the future of retail, have participated in freelance work at some point.
For retailers, brands, and merchandisers, the gig economy uncovers many benefits that can help improve the overall customer experience and efficiency of operations.
For example, retailers can hire seasonal gig workers during peak shopping times throughout the year. It provides additional support to manage increased customers and order fulfillment. Especially during times like back-to-school shopping or the Christmas holidays, retailers can feel overwhelmed by the increase in online and in-store shoppers.
With the additional help from gig workers, retailers can maintain high customer satisfaction even when times get busy.
Brands, manufacturers, and merchandisers can turn to the gig economy to gain additional support to ensure the health of their products in-store.
For example, conducting periodic retail audits is important for keeping inventory up to date and sales levels satisfactory. However, brands, merchandisers, and manufacturers often don’t have time to visit stores and conduct these inspections.
With the help of gig economy workers, you can easily hire employees on a short-term or long-term contract to conduct retail audits for you every few months.
In addition, gig workers can provide specialized skills when it comes to troubleshooting technology. Because those skills aren’t always needed, gig workers are perfect for providing temporary support.
At Storesupport, we’re committed to helping our clients with their in-store and online needs. Whether you’re a retailer, brand, or manufacturer looking for additional support to ensure your products are displayed professionally in stock, and generating increased sales, we can help you.
Learn more about how you can leverage Storesupport by calling 1-877-421-5081 or visiting www.storesupport.ca.
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