Shopping is becoming as much a fabric of the mobile experience as everything else these days. According comScore, one in eight Internet users accesses retail sites and applications exclusively through their mobile devices. The numbers are much higher (try 6 in 10 shoppers in some cases) for top 10 retailers such as Apple and Ticketmaster.
Another February 2015 study from PwC called Total Retail 2015: Retailers and the Age of Disruption includes some interesting insights into the role of mobile in the retail experience, which is ranked Number 2 on its disruption list. It’s a lengthy piece of research, but there are some interesting points that are worth looking at. For example:
- Shortly after consumers gain access to mobile technology, they experiment with shopping
- Two years ago, 30% of respondents had used a mobile device or smart phone to make a purchase; in 2014 that number grew to 47%
- 30% of respondents used mobile devices to locate stores
- At least 10% have access to loyalty programs, have scanned QR codes, and have received either recommendations based on prior purchases, or offers because of their proximity to a store.
By all accounts mobile is just scratching the surface on the retail front, especially when it comes to mobile payments and social media.
From our perspective, this is all the more reason retailers and consumers need to think about indoor coverage. Otherwise they just might be missing out on the best deals in town.
Which shopping activities make the most sense for mobile devices?
By Werner Sievers, CEO