If you’ve spent any time shopping lately, you may have noticed that more people are looking at their phones while they make purchases. No, they’re probably not texting or using Snapchat to share their finds. So what are they doing?
In its Surviving the Retail Apocalypse report, Yes Marketing surveyed over 1,000 consumers of all ages and found the top three reasons they use mobile apps when shopping in-store is to:
1. redeem coupons (65%)
2. to find coupons (57%)
3. to locate items that are on sale (46%)
The findings suggest that it is becoming imperative for retailers to deliver a multichannel experience that drives more mobile users to shop in-store and promotes customer loyalty.
The study also revealed that grocers don’t have to have a full eCommerce experience on their mobile app yet. Only one-third of customers prefer to complete purchases through smartphones. That means the majority still want the brick and mortar experience, but with the integration of a mobile experience.
That’s all great news for grocers. There are many benefits to having shoppers walk into your supermarket, so understanding that a majority of customers now use their phones in-store is valuable.
Yet, many grocery retailers are not doing enough with their mobile strategies to make their apps engaging to customers.
While coupons and sales received the primary activity on grocery mobile apps, customers also like being able to quickly add products to a shopping list, check product availability, and even do product research. They also appreciate that loyalty reward programs are easier to access through an app, as customers pull up their reward card on their phone for scanning and tracking their points. Another popular feature is meal planning, which is made easy through recipes integrated into the mobile experience.
So, don’t get hung up on the story that mobile apps are moving people away from stores. At Webtop, our grocers have another story. Those who are implementing mobile apps to engage their customers are finding truth in the Yes Marketing survey. Their shoppers are still coming into their physical stores, but they are relying on their mobile app to be part of their shopping experience.
Over 50% of Webstop retailer traffic now comes via mobile devices, and every year that number is increasing. This is how shoppers now engage with their favorite brands. It is time to start your mobile app launch plan. We’re ready if you are.