“Showrooming” is becoming a problem for many retailers – especially the big box variety. Best Buy in particular felt an impact this holiday season. Best Buy estimated that upwards of 40% of their physical store traffic has no intention of making a purchase – they are there to “showroom”. According to a recent study, there are some interesting comparisons on how consumers used mobile devices this year vs. last year.
• Nearly three-quarters of smart phone owners made a holiday purchase on their smart phone this year, that’s a jump of over 25% year over year
• Almost eight in 10 tablet owners made a holiday purchase this year, a slight increase of 7% from last year
• There was a slight decline in the amount of desktop machine owners making purchases – evidence suggests that they switched to a mobile device to make a purchase
• Nine in 10 smart phone owners have “showroomed” with their devices; over half of tablet owners have done the same
• Men were 17% more likely to “showroom” than women
What Does This Mean To You?
Mobile devices are a part of our everyday lives. Every day, new apps, new functions and improved user experiences push consumers towards mobile. While you can’t stop people from using their devices in stores, you can harness the power of mobile and use it to your advantage.
Mobile enabled loyalty programs and in-store mobile experiences can keep you competitive and your store top of mind. Excellent customer service is also something that can give you the advantage over another store or an online competitor. In tomorrow’s post, we’ll look at why consumers use mobile in store and how some retail executives plan to use mobile to make a better experience for their customers. For more information on creating effective mobile strategies, please contact:
Al Fiala
407.506.4570
amfiala@gmail.com
Source: TechBargains; Best Buy
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