Showrooming. Most of us have done it—walked into a store, found an interesting product… then pulled out the smartphone to see if we can find the product cheaper online and make a purchase there instead of in the store. This trend is becoming more popular, and it is forcing retailers to boost their existing mobile presence and experience or be left behind.
A recent survey commissioned by Vibes looked into the impact of showrooming and how consumers use their smartphones in-store. The study found that while in-store, 33% of consumers viewed a competitor’s site, 31% looked at a product review, 27% scanned a QR code for more information on that product and 20% researched the store’s site while there.
Understanding how these consumers are using their mobile device helps provide retailers and marketers with a roadmap for a meaningful in-store mobile experience. Retailers need to make sure that their mobile site has the information that consumers are looking for—both about the store and the product. They need to make sure that the site is easy to find and the site is easy for the consumer to navigate on their mobile device.
A new study released last week from Google, What Users Want Most From Sites today, found that close to 75% of consumers have a preference toward mobile optimized sites, but 96% of users have experienced sites that are clearly not optimized for mobile. The study also found that sites optimized for a mobile device increased the likelihood for a purchase and the lack of a mobile-friendly site or a poor experience could leave the user frustrated, potentially negatively impacting the brand. These frustrations can occur when visiting a mobile site that does not allow them to click a phone number to call the business or click an address to get directions. Businesses who have yet to optimize their site for the way users expect to use mobile websites risk driving potential consumers into the arms of their competitors who have mobile-friendly content.
Showrooming. It is changing the way consumers interact with businesses and how retailers react to consumers. Those retailers who launch a strong mobile strategy—one based on understanding their consumers and creating a mobile-friendly experience around the expectations of their consumers—see success in keeping customers and minimize driving shoppers into the arms of their competition.
Alina Diaz is a Senior Consultant at The Center for Sales Strategy.
