Technological advancements have made amazing leaps in the past decade. Today, customers can now shop from their couch or pull up Web pages that used to take minutes to load, all with a device that fits in their front pocket. While this technology allows customers to never set foot in a store again, that simply isn’t going to happen (or at least not anytime soon). That’s because customers have the need to see, touch and experience objects before purchasing them. This is why bridging the gap between technology and the in-store experience is critical.
A recent survey commissioned by eMarketer shows that 70 percent of customers are online while shopping in-store. By encouraging the use of mobile devices in a shopping environment, a variety of things are accomplished that benefit both the sales assistant and the consumer. For starters, the sales agent is freed up from smaller tasks that would keep them behind a counter (such as checkout) and interact with customers who might need assistance. Meanwhile, the customer is able to compare potential purchases, search for prices and find other suppliers. These can be both good and bad things for a business, so it is important to utilize the mobile shopper’s in-store experience to benefit you.
Develop a free application for your store that reaches past a physical location
By offering an incentive for the mobile shopper to be on their device in a store (i.e. coupons, special offers) the customer has created a space for you on their device. Once this is established, it can be used to further a relationship and make mobile shopping that much easier.
Make use of in-store kiosks
These both free up the customer service representative and can help customers with their purchases or questions. Additionally, in-store kiosks make it possible for customers to begin transactions and transfer them to their mobile application if they have to leave, effectively bookmarking your sales.
Simplify in-store mobile support and optimize it as broadly as possible
The easiest way to lose a customer is by excluding them. Be sure that your location not only works across various operating systems and platforms, but also make it easy and ready to use.
