Despite concerns over online shopping leading to the death of the ‘bricks & mortar’ store, online shopping in fact seems to have revived the in-store experience – but what we want to know is how?
Online and offline shopping both have their pros and cons and provide very different experiences for the consumer. Instead of taking away from the in-store experience, online has just added an additional shopping route, one which if done correctly with the correct IT service and support in place can enhance the shoppers experience, and join up the customer journey whichever path they choose to take.
Research via Cisco has found that 48% of shoppers would like to use a mobile app whilst in store and Savvy Marketing found that 65% of shoppers said they liked the idea of getting targeted coupons sent straight to their smartphone, compared with just 24% in 2012.
Personalisation and engagement are massive factors when attracting and maintaining customer relationships and with mobile app shopping you are able to not only distinguish yourself from competitors but also deliver a great omnichannel experience which is proving essential in today’s retail world.
Currently 67% of UK shoppers use their smartphones to make a purchase and retailers have been ensuring their websites are fully optimised to provide a smooth and convenient transaction. With the growth of mobile app shopping, the online transaction process is even easier. When a shopper uses an app in store they are instantly connecting online and offline shopping. They are also connecting directly with the brand so are not left vulnerable to temptation from competitors. Apps help to enhance the customer experience; offering personalised shopping, vouchers and much more – generating numerous benefits for consumers to engage with apps.
When shoppers begin ordering products online, retailers worry that their physical store will simply become a showroom. To prevent showrooming brands need to join up their customer journey. This could be through developing their own apps, joining up online, and social channels, and engaging with their customers without the temptations of price comparisons and competitor engagement looming over them. The essential point is to provide consistency of service across all channels.
Another interesting trend that seems to be emerging is that of ‘webrooming’ and is an entirely different concept to showrooming. Webrooming means that the online retail store becomes a catalogue for the physical shop, and is becoming ever more popular for shoppers who favour click-and-collect.
Some retailers have already cottoned on to this trend and have apps in place; Starbucks have a loyalty app and Debenhams have a personal shopper app. Apps are quickly becoming another path on the omnichannel approach to providing a more personalised approach to the consumers and also addressing every element involved in the ever evolving shopping journey.
Merret is our supply chain solution that provides a seamless shopping experience across all available channels whilst utilising a single stock pool, enabling your customers to shop the brand, not just the channel. If you would like…
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