Mobile technology in retail is no longer new as people continue to embrace the technology to make shopping that little bit easier as they recognise the convenience and benefits of mobile.
No longer are shoppers restricted by stores' opening times, or where they are at that moment in time, you can shop 24/7 from wherever you are (well, as long as you have an internet connection and a mobile device)!
However, a poll by Populus into food and grocery shopping in the UK found retailers are failing to capitalise on the demand for new mobile technology. More than a third would like to scan their shopping using mobile phones to keep a track of spend and to quicken the payment process but less than 3% of retailers are currently offering this. A third of shoppers also indicated that they would like to use their mobiles in store for price comparison, and 28% would like mobile alerts regarding special offers when they are close by to a store.
New research by Verdict predicts spending online and via mobile devices will rocket over the next five years. This is partly a result of shopping via tablet devices becoming more commonplace as consumers become more secure with using mobile devices. At the moment, spending using a mobile phone and tablet device is expected to rise from its current level of £7.9 billion this year to hit £23.1 billion in 2018.
So how can retailers take advantage of the mobile opportunities available? What should they be doing?
However, a poll by Populus into food and grocery shopping in the UK found retailers are failing to capitalise on the demand for new mobile technology. More than a third would like to scan their shopping using mobile phones to keep a track of spend and to quicken the payment process but less than 3% of retailers are currently offering this. A third of shoppers also indicated that they would like to use their mobiles in store for price comparison, and 28% would like mobile alerts regarding special offers when they are close by to a store.
New research by Verdict predicts spending online and via mobile devices will rocket over the next five years. This is partly a result of shopping via tablet devices becoming more commonplace as consumers become more secure with using mobile devices. At the moment, spending using a mobile phone and tablet device is expected to rise from its current level of £7.9 billion this year to hit £23.1 billion in 2018.
So how can retailers take advantage of the mobile opportunities available? What should they be doing?
3 tips for retailers going mobile
1. Apps
Everybody loves a good app, but if your app is poor quality or not delivering what a customer needs, expect to be deleted. You need to ensure that you have researched your target customers and understand what they are looking for within an app before building one. It is also important to allow customers to provide feedback and take this on board. You need to understand the purpose of the customer using the app - are they simply looking for information or are they likely to want to buy, get in touch, create a wish list and so on.
The best apps focus on what customers want to achieve when using the app, simple to use and make it easy to find what you need.
Everybody loves a good app, but if your app is poor quality or not delivering what a customer needs, expect to be deleted. You need to ensure that you have researched your target customers and understand what they are looking for within an app before building one. It is also important to allow customers to provide feedback and take this on board. You need to understand the purpose of the customer using the app - are they simply looking for information or are they likely to want to buy, get in touch, create a wish list and so on.
The best apps focus on what customers want to achieve when using the app, simple to use and make it easy to find what you need.
2. Mobile Sites
It is - and I can't stress this enough - vital that you remember the key differences between viewing a website on a computer to viewing a website on a mobile. Screens are smaller, buttons are fiddly and it is much more difficult to navigate your way around a site. How many times have you clicked on the top navigation menu bar such as 'contact us' and you've successfully hit the correct option first time?
Anyone designing a mobile website needs to remove any unnecessary information and try and ensure content is as concise as it possibly can be. It is also important to consider the time it takes to load your website as if it takes too long, visitors are most likely going to go elsewhere. A good way to reduce load times is reviewing images on the site as this can attribute negatively to load times.
3. Text message alerts
Simple and easy and yet a very effective tool for engaging with customers. Often we receive a text message from retailers about reserved products available for collection, special promotions, account details and any other information they wish to send. A great benefit of text messaging is the high read rate of 97% and because customers have opted in to receiving communications by text, they are less likely to view the text as invasive and obtrusive. It can help strengthen relationships whereas sending unsolicited emails is more likely to damage a relationship.
Retailers should also think outside the box. Apps, mobile websites and text message alerts are just three technologies that can help you capture customers and enhance relationships. Retailers can also offer mobile coupons, enable mobile payments or provide iPads for sales assistants to name just a few. Retailers should consider the shopping journey for their customers and target customers and come up with new and innovative ideas to engage with customers as this can help them stay ahead and compete against others.
Learn more about The future for retailers in a mobile environment or read our Retail section to find out more.
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