Are you considering a mobile retail app? ‘Cause now seems just the proper time to consider it. The mobile device penetration is rising steadily; the population all over the world is increasingly connected.
The growth of the mobile industry is mostly due to young people. As this demographic gets older and its purchasing power increases, mobile commerce will take off, becoming a major opportunity for retail companies to drive revenue and increase consumer interaction at an even bigger scale than right now.
Today’s connected consumers are challenging the retail industry to adapt to the mobile ways they live and purchase in this digital era. The shopping world doesn’t only include the store and the online places. Mobile is changing the game, becoming the key to retail omnipresence.
For retailers, here’s the thing to wonder about: how do we get today’s mobile buyer interest, loyalty and shopping power?
Creating compelling experiences through retail mobile apps
These are exciting times, both for retailers and app developers, as we’re dealing with a highly promising sector, although mobile retail shopping is now only in its infancy, or better said – emerging experimentation state.
According to Appcelerator/IDC Q4 2012 Mobile Developer Survey more than 90% of app developers expect that most retail companies will enable mobile commerce by the end of this year.
Today’s shoppers are embracing the mobile mindset; these new consumers have sophisticated expectations that relate with the retailer’s web presence – they want to access on their mobile devices the shopping list they created online, order products or see peer reviews; they want a more useful, personal and fun shopping experience, directly from their phone.
Retail companies need to create an effective mobile commerce strategy, meaning also a compelling experience for this new exigent consumer.
Mobile retail space opportunities
Let’s see the current state of the mobile retail ecosystem. According to Adobe’s Digital Publishing Report for 2013, mobile device users are responding positively on retail apps. Here are the stats:
more than 50% of smartphone and tablet users will most likely pay for a mobile app in the next year.
45% of mobile owners are interested in using apps instead of browsers to search purchasing items.
55% of tablet users are buyers; 28% of smartphone users are fervent shoppers.
67% of mobile device shoppers use apps from their favorite shops, saying it strengthen brand connection.
According to Deloitte latest Mobile Retailing research, by 2016 – smartphones, used as part of a shopping experience, could impact 17-21% of retail sales – a whopping $627-$752. The same paper reveals that shoppers who use a retailer’s dedicated mobile app are 21% more likely to convert while in the store.
You might be wondering – who’s already succeeding at this mobile retail app changing-industry game? We say companies such as Starbucks, CVS Pharmacy, ValPak, Walgreens, Amazon and many others. How they’ve done it? These companies offer through their retail mobile apps product information, merchandise coupons, loyalty card features and other utilitarian aspects and experiences that enable shoppers to save time and money, also having lots of fun while doing it.
They just add value to clients shopping experience by highly supporting the purchase decision and facilitating pleasant customer service.
3 reasons to develop a mobile retail app
According to all of the above, here are some simple but powerful reasons on why every retailer should think about creating a mobile app in the near future – it’s about growing revenue, attainability and being ahead of this digital game.
shoppers appreciate useful mobile retail apps
developing a mobile shopping app is relatively easy
many of your competitors already have a mobile app
And if you’re not decided yet, you can always get started for free here or asking as questions here, we’re seriously friendly.
