That old conspicuous consumer saying “shop ‘til you drop” could be replaced by “shop ‘til your smart phone battery dies.”
A new survey of more than 30,000 consumers found that nearly half (49 percent) used two or more technologies such as a mobile device during the shopping process. That’s an increase of 36 percent over a similar survey one year ago.
The survey conducted by IBM also found that while most shoppers (70 percent) are optimistic about the future, they have developed attitudes during the global recession over the past several years that still dictate their behavior:
- They buy what they need
- They search for items on sale
- They wait longer to purchase
Serve me, don't sell me
In this new environment, service is paramount, and consumers should be at the center of any retailer's strategy. In order to succeed, retailers need to do three things: listen to, know and empower consumers.
From Facebook to Twitter, to blogs, YouTube and reviews, shoppers are leveraging social media more than ever before to discuss retailers, products and brands with friends, family members and strangers. Retailers that listen to and participate in these conversations can obtain added insight into what customers want.
While listening is important, a personalized shopping experience is still dominant in the mind of the consumer. By offering promotions on items they regularly buy and remembering things such as preferred payment methods and receipt types, retailers can increase spend and loyalty among shoppers.
Empower consumers
Finally, the survey says, retailers must empower consumers by making it as easy as possible to shop seamlessly across channels and letting them choose how to interact. Forty percent of the people surveyed want to check product prices wherever they are and get promotions based on the items they scan. Another 50 percent are willing to use a personal mobile device to avoid the checkout lane.
Jill Puleri, Global Industry retail executive at IBM Global Business Services, says retailers need to personalize the shopping experience for consumers, using to technology to better understand and serve their consumer, if they want to win in this new environment.
