Consumer behavior is changing, and as a consequence, the retail industry is evolving with it. In the era of the “Omnichannel Shopper”, as Google has defined it, retailers are now having more difficulty to get customers to make on-the-spot purchases. And while the apocalypse of traditional retail hasn’t come yet, the FUTURE of shopping must turn into the PRESENT for those retailers who want to start taking advantage of the current technology and mobile digital marketing strategies available.
The future of retail is personalization. The better retailers master all of the different available channels to connect with their audience, the more ROI they’ll receive. From browsing to purchasing to payment to follow up, mobile phones have been integrated into all parts of the shopping journey. The blending of retail and mobile is a reality that needs to start happening for those who want to succeed in the shopper’s journey. Here are some of the elements that your mobile digital marketing strategy should include:
- Deals At Your Fingertips: According to Google, shoppers want stores to generate custom experiences for them. In fact, 85% affirm that they would be more likely to purchase something in places that offer personalized coupons and exclusive in-store deals for them. Some places like Target have already jumped into the coupons-cart with their app CartWheel that offers specials discounts and promotions for their in-store shoppers.
Before we move on, one question that you might be asking yourself is what are users really looking for when they use their smartphones in stores. This is what Google says:
- Enhance the In-Store Customer’s Experience: It’s all about intention here. Think about it; the intention of your shoppers in-store are going to be different from their intentions when they were browsing your products laying down on their sofa. However, if they take it a step further by going to your store, it’s the time to go above and beyond their shopping experience expectations. A study done by Google about consumer behavior in-store reveals that “two in three shoppers who tried to find information within a store say they didn’t find what they needed, and 43% of them left frustrated.” Don’t let your consumers down!
- Not A Mini Version of Your Website: At this point, you probably understand that consumers want more information and customized experiences during their shopping journey. With that being said, your website needs to be more than responsive on the mobile devices; it needs to play a completely different game because, here, the rules are different. Those retailers that limit themselves to simply having a “mini-me” version of their website will be wasting a lot of opportunities.Allowing customers to earn points, sharing scanned items over social media as they shop, or unlocking rewards or badges, are some of the strategies that will enhance your customer’s experience, making it a fun and memorable one. 71% of in-store shoppers who use smartphones for online research say their device has become more important to their in-store experience. If you are ready to fulfill those user’s expectations, don’t forget to check out this app: https://gpshopper.com/.
- Show User-Generated Content: The same reason why you most likely won’t go to a place to eat when no one has talked about it or recommended it to you in the past (well unless you are adventurous), will mean the same to possible consumers coming to your store. Your consumers will feel more comfortable and determine to buy one of your products if there is some content generated about it. Whether it is positive or negative, shoppers like to be informed and educated before they buy anything.Taking advantage of a mobile phone’s geolocation and the beacons technology available, brands can showcase relevant products and information to their in-store shoppers. Other than retailers, this technology can really benefit any business and brand that would like to provide some custom information to their in-place clients. Along these lines, one of the latest features from Facebook for Businesses is Place Tips that allows those who check into the business to see their future events, other people’s pictures in that location, friend’s reviews, and many more options that will help users to make a more informed purchasing decision.
- Social Media Promotions: Interacting with your users while they are in the store through your main social media channels is a great way to engage with your shoppers during the entire shopping journey. Offering your consumers special deals for liking, tweeting, or using a certain hashtag will help your brand to get talked about, but most importantly, will encourage your users to follow your brand closely for future promotions.
Have you considered rewarding your clients every time they register a check-in at your store using Facebook? By running this simple strategy, you’ll increase your reach and, therefore, the opportunity to get more potential clients coming your way.
- Mobile Checkout Options: Some stores, especially grocery stores, have already started to implement this option to those smartphone users who want to skip the line at the checkout. This type of softwares allows consumers to scan every product they put in the cart and make the payment through that software so shoppers enjoy a “smoother” purchasing experience while retailers decrease their product abandonment rates. It’s a win-win situation! Or should we say cha-ching, cha-ching situation?
Your customer’s journey doesn’t end once you bring them to the entrance of your store. Forrester predicts that mobile e-commerce revenues across will rise from $1.7 billion in 2011 to $19.2 billion by 2017, reaching 6.8% of web sales. Mobile offers a new digital marketing opportunity for brands to engage with their consumers. For retailers who know how to get the most out of what mobile has to offer will not only become their customer’s favorite brand but also their favorite personal assistant while they are in the store. Those will be the real winners of the omnichannel shopper era who will earn the heart and loyalty of their consumers. Go mobile or go home!
Thanks for reading!
Lydia
