Did you know that the shift to mobile is actually changing your customers’ behaviour, both in and out of your store? Smartphone shopping-related searches have increased by about 120% in the last year alone, which shows us that mobile plays a critical role in driving customers to our stores. In the list below, Zeemo has outlined 5 ways that your brand can connect with people in real time.
.webp)
1. Creation of a new "front door to the store"
It's important that we stop thinking of our physical premises as being the only entrance to our stores – do you know how many of your customers begin their shopping journey on their smartphones? Target, for example, found that three-fourths of its visitors started on mobile and that one-third of those who clicked on mobile ads actually made a trip to the store.
.webp)
2. Customers are hungry for local information
On smartphones, it is possible to search for certain types of businesses that are near you at any given time. In fact, "near me" Google searches seem to grow about 2.4 times in size every year. According to a study undertaken by Google, about 50% of those who search on mobile will visit a store within a day, and 18% of those searches actually lead to a sale.
3. Ads that show local inventory draw customers in
Did you know that one in four people who avoid shopping in store do so because they don’t know if a product is in stock or not? The use of Local Inventory Ads will show the actual inventory of nearby stores to online searchers, making them more inclined to drop in. These ads might seem expensive, but they drive about $8 in store for each dollar invested.
.webp)
4. Creation of a new in-store research "advisor"
An amazing 82% of customers say that they consult their smartphones on purchases they’re about to make in a store. In fact, nearly one in four have said that they've actually changed their minds whilst in the checkout line after looking up details of a product on their phones. Are there any ways that you can make this information more accessible by your customers?
.webp)
5. Omni-channel customers spend more
This refers to customers who use a variety of channels in their shopping experience (including research) before making a purchase. Credit card giant MasterCard have found that those who shop both online and off (with a specific retailer) actually buy about 250% more on average than those who only shop via one channel.
At the end of the day, it doesn't matter whether you’re a massive global brand or a small local store, there can be no denying that mobile is changing your customers' behaviour. Whilst it's important that you have a mobile presence, it’s even more essential that you create relevant experiences that connect your store (both online and off) with customers – and encourage them to return.
