Brick and Mortar stores still continue to dominate retail sales, however the path to purchase is now greatly affected by mobile commerce. Shoppers no longer expect an omni-channel experience, they create one themselves. Consumers are now using mobile as a catalyst to drive them into stores where they complete the path to purchase.
Similar to how consumers are creating their own omni-channel experience, they’ve also decided on how they create their own experience and mobile app usage is a big part of that. This is what is driving innovation in retail.
In fact, retail marketers who argue otherwise might be shocked to know that users spend more time on mobile apps than they do on mobile websites. The typical app visitor spends 201.8 minutes a month in that app while the typical mobile site visitor spends only 10.9 minutes a month on that mobile site. And it’s not the fact that consumers are taking time out of one platform (Desktop, Tablet) and placing it into another, it’s simply the fact that consumers are online and connected longer than ever before.
Build digital experiences in mobile apps that drive customers to retail stores for purchases. Examples include
# Mobile ordering, in-store pickup.
# Mobile gift carding (the ability to send and use a digital retail gift card)
# Omni-channel shopping cart: a customer’s shopping cart is consistent from desktop, to app, to in-store
Customers are already accustomed to an omni-channel experience, with mobile a popular touch point in the process. Integrating online and offline channels to create a frictionless experience is key to easing the path to purchase, driving customer loyalty, and catering to the increasingly mobile shopper.
Mobile technology is forever changing the face of retail, empowering consumers with detailed information about competitors’ products via mobile devices. In response, savvy retailers are jumping on board the mobile train, equipping store managers and associates with powerful mobile apps. Easy to use and jam-packed with customer insights, these tools are helping retailers prepare for the future in 5 key ways:
1. Managers Make Faster, Smarter Decisions
2. Store Associates Improve Productivity
3. Business Costs are Under Control
4. Sales Increase While Out-of-Stocks Decrease
5. Customer Loyalty Improves Through More Effective Engagement
Together, these benefits are enabling retailers to meet consumers’ ever-rising expectations of customer service while achieving new innovative levels of customer loyalty, sales and operational efficiency.
