Let’s try an experiment. Next time you visit a local store, count how many people are using mobile devices. Then step outside: how many more people can you see using mobile devices? Now imagine you had a pound for every handset you saw!
Once viewed as competitive channels, mobile and physical shopping today go hand in hand. According to PwC’s Total Retail 2015 report, half of global consumers research products on a mobile device before entering a store; a third have used their smartphone to locate a store; a quarter have redeemed a mobile coupon in-store.
Clearly, mobile is a significant bricks and mortar footfall driver.
Why? For two main reasons. Firstly, mobiles are incredibly convenient – most of us won’t leave the house without ours nowadays.
Secondly, because in-store shopping matters. 1 in 3 consumers visit a store once a week, turning to online only when they want to compare products, crave a wider variety of items, or the store isn’t open for business.
This tells us 3 essential things:
- Consumers like using their mobile devices
- Consumers like shopping in stores
- Consumers defect online when bricks and mortar constrains their experience
If only there was something that could bring points 1 and 2 together, to solve point 3…
Wait, there is: in-store tablet technology, controlled by sales associates!
Hang on a moment. Haven’t we already been here before? Mobile in-store isn’t a new phenomenon; many retailers have already tried this, with limited success.
However, the consumer landscape has changed dramatically over the past 12 months. In September, online shopping from mobile devices overtook desktop for the first time, while the use of smartphones and tablets on Cyber Monday 2014 increased 21% year on year.
Shoppers now readily incorporate mobile into their commerce journey, but there is one location where retailers aren’t controlling these interactions: the store. Take back control using Moki MDM to create meaningful digital interactions with customer in-store.
If you are interested in learning more about how Moki can help your business, please call us at (844) 665-4669 or request a demo at moki.com/demo.
