Posted on August 4, 2015 by admin
Retail shopping has changed immensely due to the explosion of technology. Long gone are the days when retailers simply stocked their brick and mortar shelves with goods and stood by, waiting for potential buyers to drop in.
Nowadays, modern shoppers are able to cost compare and shop for the best deals with a few keystrokes on the keyboard, or taps on their phone screen. With the steady rise in popularity of mobile devices, people are shopping in ways never thought possible — instantly and often.
Mobile commerce has a number of advantages for shoppers but also for retailers. Here are 4 great perks for retailers:
1. Mobile Commerce Steers Customers To Brick And Mortar Establishments
Branching mobile commerce along with a brick and mortar store through the inclusion of helpful search elements on a Website, such as a map of store location, business hours, wish list, product search features, etc. works well for steering customers through the store doors.
2. Products Are Much More Visible To Consumers
With the advancement in technology, coupled with the huge number of people viewing Websites on portable devices, retailers are able to use creative means of getting products in direct view of consumers. Some of these creative techniques include adding interactive video, 360° imagery and interactive “try ons” such as hairstyles, clothing and accessories.
3. Opportunity To Stand Out In The Marketplace
Online retailers who utilize analytical Web tools to gain insight on which online visitors are shopping savvy (knowing how to research, cost compare etc.) can provide retailers that competitive edge to stand out amongst competitors in the marketplace.
4. Ability To Provide Real-Time Information To Consumers
Thanks to mobile commerce, retailers are able to provide recurring real-time information to their customers. Some good examples of the type of information online consumers now demand include new arrivals, auction items, stock quotes, flight information, sports scores, etc.
According to a study conducted by Latitude, 63% of people expect to be doing more shopping on their mobile devices over the next couple of years. Mobile commerce is on the rise and is only expected to continue grow astronomically in years to come. Retailers who optimize for mobile commerce today will definitely get a bigger piece of the profit pie and stand apart from their competitors.