With the web and smartphones growing ever more popular, how is this changing the way we shop? Webloyalty offers a nine point guide on what to expect in three years time…
Bulleted points from the Webloyalty report ‘All change: The impact of mobile on multichannel retail’ describe the consumer experience and expectations of 2014… and beyond.
• Shoppers will use their mobiles to both compare brands and prices, and buy. High street stores will need to become connected, with free WiFi services helping shoppers connect with and compare brands. Retailers will need to offer location based discounts to smartphones and the ability to purchase on the spot ‘online’ via a mobile after comparing prices.
• Staff should be able to roam the store with mobile point of sale technology – meaning the end of lining up in front of a till.
• High street stores will need to compete to become a destination. As larger retailers move out of town or online, the high street will be populated with boutique ‘experience’ stores, coffee shops and restaurants.
• As high-street retail space shrinks, ‘click and collect’ will become more popular, as retailers want to use their floor-space more efficiently and cut overheads.
• The high street’s demise requires flexibility in formats. Retailers with a physical store presence will need to adapt formats regionally and locally to cater for consumers’ changing shopping patterns.
• Retailers need to ensure the messages sent through various channels are consistent. A clear brand image should be portrayed across all communications.
• It becomes vital to add value to the shopping experience to remain relevant in a multichannel world. Retailers will need to turn them into brand destinations, which offer a highly immersive and interactive shopping experience. Focus on customer service to disseminate information and provide collection points for customers’ convenience.
• Retailers need to ensure they offer multiple fulfilment options. Retailers can no longer run their physical stores and online operations as separate functions. Consumers will expect a fully integrated service from retailers with the ability to order online and pick up in store or order in store for home delivery.
• Don’t miss the link. Mobile will be the channel that links all parts of a retailer’s multichannel operation. Retailers will have to work hard to make sure their ‘online shopping carts’ function across multiple channels allowing customers to for example add to ‘wish lists’ or order items through scanning bar codes when in stores.
The complete report from Webloyalty can be downloaded here.
Source: www.webloyalty.co.uk