The retail landscape is being redefined as consumer practices become more mobile. Device usage is not only limited to online shopping, but also significantly influences in-store experiences.According to a survey conducted by Salesforce, which examined the behavior of more than 300 million consumers in 37 nations, 72% of them make use of their mobile devices during in-person purchases.
The study also points out that smartphones and tablets have emerged as the most disruptive innovation in the retail sector since the arrival of e-commerce in the 90s. This shows that devices not only influence e-commerce, but also play a key role in the shopping experience in physical stores.
For Andrei Dias, head of sales Nexaas , retail tech, a specialist in retail solutions, practices known as “showrooming” and “webrooming” have become commonplace in the industry.Showrooming involves the action of checking prices, reading product reviews, and even shopping in online stores as customers walk the aisles of the physical store.
On the other hand, the so-called “webrooming” or “pre-purchase research” refers to the behavior of researching information and evaluations about items before they actually move to the units and purchase them. These trends put increasing pressure on retailers, requiring them to provide exceptional experiences in physical units and maintain their competitiveness in the face of the offers available online.
“These two examples are categorical; perhaps few people know them by name, but certainly everyone has practiced. Before the digital age, research prices and ask the impressions of friends fulfilled this role. Except that now, you can do this from anywhere, even in the queue of the cash register”, says the expert.
However, such flows also open doors to innovation opportunities.Smart retailers are using mobile technologies to enhance the customer experience by offering apps that make it easier to navigate in stores, offer personalized offers, and even enable mobile payments.These innovations not only improve customer satisfaction, but also collect valuable data that can be used to further enhance sales and marketing strategies.
“The key to future retail success will be the ability to embrace mobility and adapt to the ever-changing consumer preferences and behaviors.There is plenty of free ground to explore and use in favor of” commerce.
