By Chuck Martin
Shopping with mobile is becoming both easier and a bit more complex.
Consumers have a choice to use a retailer or third party app as well as well as to use that merchant’s mobile website or someone else’s.
I just came across a recent report that examined customer satisfaction with specific aspects of shopping and the mobile shopping apps that consumers would value most. The study by research consultancy immr and sponsored by The Find found that:
*Consumers are frustrated with several aspects of shopping, including finding and applying coupons, confirming they’re getting the best deal and determining where the products are in stock locally
*The most valued apps are those that save consumers time and money
*While commerce continues to grow, consumers value the ability to shop digitally, verify where products are in stock locally and complete their purchase in local stores
*Same-day delivery options are likely to increase the desire to shop digitally
The report notes that the number of shopping apps continues to grow, with more than 250 Android coupon apps alone.
As any major retailer knows, it’s difficult to persuade a large number of customers to download their app and use it regularly (with noted exceptions like Starbucks, of course).
The report suggests that the winning apps will be determined by a host of functions, including user experience, product selection, range of coverage, content, accessibility, personalization, performance and value.
I would argue that the last item (value) will be the most critical in consumer adoption and acceptance.
And the value may be different based on the mobile shopper. While one shopper may look for the best deal another may look for the closest store that has a particular item in stock at that location.
One may be drawn to a store from a Google search or a Yelp recommendation while another is attracted by a RetailMeNot or Shopkick ping while near a store.
While the need of different mobile shoppers may dramatically differ, the challenge for retailers is to identify and solve all of them for their customers.
Chuck Martin is Editor of the mCommerce Daily at MediaPost and writes the daily MobileShopTalk column. He is the author of “Mobile Influence,” “The Third Screen,” and “The Smartphone Handbook.” He is CEO of Mobile Future Institute. Chuck Martin is a frequent Mobile Keynote Speaker and Mobile Marketing Speaker internationally. He also addresses Social Media in Mobile.
