Econsultancy: Retailers do not see user showrooming as a threat to store revenue

Retailers are seeing an increase in smartphone use in stores, but only 11% see “ showrooming ” as a threat to revenue.

Columbia research found that 70% of mobile-assisted shopping users viewed products in stores and then purchased them online . According to the Mobile Marketing and Commerce Report 2013, showrooming is not necessarily a bad thing, and retailers need to find ways to take advantage of this trend.

While 67% of retailers have noticed an increase in consumers using smartphones while shopping in-store, only 11% consider showrooming a threat to their business.

Perceptions of in-store use of mobile and showrooming (retail users):

So how should retailers deal with this user showrooming phenomenon? The following attempt to avoid user showrooming in a store is clearly inappropriate. Instead of prohibiting or restricting users, retailers should find ways to turn showrooming into their advantage.

Our research found that few retailers prohibit customers from using the Internet in their stores, which would be counterproductive as customers often need to confirm product information online before purchasing.

Retailers can help in-store users by providing mobile apps, such as using location-based features to provide incentives for users who share information; providing in-store Wi-FI and pushing relevant promotional information when users are connected, etc.

Mobile marketing can be integrated into the user's in-store activities. From the user's perspective, it is a matter of choice, and choice requires information, which is also related to opinions and sharing. Deploying technology in traditional retail locations can bring more interesting and relevant information to users.

Retailers need to adapt to the trend of users using mobile phones in stores and provide users with a better experience, including providing in-store Wi-Fi, offering promotions and coupons to smartphone users, and directing users to their own mobile websites.

The last point is very important. If users want to use their mobile phones to conduct product research, you'd better let users do it through the retailer's own website, not the competitor's website. Walmart is a typical case. Walmart has been committed to providing mobile applications and mobile sites, and has gained a lot from it. Currently, 12% of online sales come from users using Walmart's mobile site in Walmart stores.

The report found that retailers are beginning to adopt strategies to increase their mobile deployment investment, and 7 in 10 companies will increase their mobile budgets in the next 12 months, with the budget increase ranging from 29%.

Are you (or your clients) planning to increase the mobile marketing budget in the next year?

In terms of technologies to be deployed in the next year, 29% of companies plan to offer tablet sites, 22% and 20% will deploy location marketing technologies and mobile commerce sites.

via: 199it compiled from econsultancy