Retail is Changing
Retailers are concerned that traffic and sales per square foot are falling, as consumers increasingly use stores as a showroom rather than the place to buy. Consumers are also arriving at the store much more informed than ever and using their mobile devices to comparison shop and learn about the product. From inspiration and product discovery, to decision-making and ultimately transacting, smartphones are now consumers’ primary touchpoint with retail stores.
This shift to mobile use is the most significant consumer trend of recent times. For retailers, the implication of this shift is that mobile should be at the heart of their retail strategy. Consumers value it because it extends and transforms the commerce customer experience and retailers need to adapt or be left behind. On the backend, this means retailers will need to build a scalable and reusable mobile platform, with frequent releases and continuous updates. Ease of use anywhere and at anytime will be critical.
In the store, watch for retailers to increasingly embrace smartphone capability to enhance the shopping experience. To begin, they will need to review their technology infrastructure to ensure alignment with changing shopper habits. Then look for retailers to deploy marketing and promotion techniques via the smartphone, for example, with apps that offer in-store competitive pricing or instant promotions. To engage consumers, smart retailers will partner with them attempting to solve their problems or provide moments of delight.
We are helping our clients adapt to the digital future by building programs that encourage them to rethink how they go to market.