Which Retailers are Mobile?

The advent of the smart phone has done two things that require retailers to respond: taken away some traffic from older internet sources, and opened a new type of opportunity for mobile interactions.

Initial offerings were essentially to offer the same online web experience but in mobile.  Going way back to the introduction of the first iPhone one of the enormous selling points was the ability to view the full New York Times website on your phone.

Wow!

Quickly the limitations of that experience became clear.  A tiny screen you hold in your hand requires a different approach from the interactions one has with a full PC screen.

A few retailers really really get that.  Here is a story on the best experiences:

http://www.mytotalretail.com/article/mobile-cx-study-gives-best-buy-home-depot-and-target-top-marks/

Here is a snippet from that piece:

As consumers spend more time shopping on smartphones, their expectations for mobile experiences have soared. With mobile interactions influencing $1.05 trillion in offline sales in 2016, the successful retailers of 2017 will be those that offer consumers mobile sites with a frictionless path to purchase that also integrates into omnichannel shopping experiences.

Which omnichannel retailers are doing it right and setting the bar the highest for merchants looking to deliver a seamless mobile customer experience (CX)?

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

In-store Product Scanning and Home Depot

In-store product scanning by customers is becoming a big deal.  I'm not talking about reading a bar code.  I'm talking about using the camera to "look" at anything you put in front of it and the app tells you where products like that are located.  Have a blue dress you like?  Scan it and locate it.

Home Depot is the latest to roll out this technology.

http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/home-depots-visual-search-beta-highlights-technologys-appeal-beyond-apparel

Here is a snippet from that piece:

Once customers find the item they are looking for using the visual search, they can purchase it online or pick it up in the store.

The move into visual search is part of a recent update to the retailer’s iOS apps that also included an iPad app redesign to give it a landscape orientation, something users had been requesting.

Visual search is a popular feature addition for large retailers’ apps in the past year.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

In-Store Mobile Payments

Pretty good article over on Mobile Commerce Daily regarding mobile payments in the store:

http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/road-to-in-store-mobile-payments-is-bumpy-for-apple-pay-mcx

Here is a snippet from that piece:

Bringing contactless mobile payments to bricks-and-mortar stores continues to be a challenging process plagued with technology difficulties, inexperienced store associates and an evolving landscape.

Enabling in-store mobile payments at scale is viewed as a key goal but one that has proven to be elusive over the past few years for a variety of reasons. The latest setbacks include reports of Apple Pay not working at Home Depot stores, Best Buy switching allegiance from MCX to Apple Pay as well as the departure of MCX CEO Dekkers Davidson.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

In-Store Mobile Use

One interesting report ties with a couple of stories that are making interesting news.  Use of mobile devices while participants are in the physical store is up to 75% now.  Here is the story that focused this for me:

https://www.internetretailer.com/2015/04/09/75-store-shoppers-use-their-mobile-devices-store

Here is a snippet from that piece:

As has generally been the case in the mobile realm, consumers are ahead of retailers in adopting and using mobile technologies. Today, 75% of store shoppers use their mobile devices while shopping in stores, according to a new report, “Reality of Retail,” from InReality, a retail marketing and strategy firm. What’s more, 25% of store shoppers who use their mobile devices in stores make a purchase on their mobile devices while in-store. Such purchases include a product that is out of stock, a product in a size currently unavailable in a specific store, or, to any retailers’ chagrin, the same or similar product from a competing retailer with a better price.

Here is a link to the page at InReality where you can get the report (contact data required):

http://www.inreality.com/resources/report/20150331/

Coincidentally there is a story by the folks over at Mobile Commerce Daily on Home Depot doubling down on their in-store mobile efforts:

http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/home-depot-doubles-down-on-in-app-interactive-shopping-tools

Here is a snippet from that piece:

The Home Depot is supporting shoppers’ omnichannel needs with several new interactive tools available across its application and mobile Web site that are designed to simplify finding and buying the right products for the lawn and garden this spring.

With consumers’ thoughts turning to spending time outside now that winter is winding down, The Home Depot has introduced the Mulch and Top Soil Calculator, Grass Seed Calculator as well as the Weed, Plant and Pest Problem Solver. By streamlining the shopping process for smartphone-equipped consumers, the retailer is taking some of the frustration out of shopping from a small screen, whether a purchase is completed in–store, online or inside the application.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant