Study: Retailers move past channels with mobile strategies

Walnut Creek, Calif. – Retailers are taking an increasingly omni-channel approach to their mobile strategies, looking to combine mobile with existing channels rather than treat it as a separate entity. According to a new study from RSR Research, “Mobile in Retail: Reality Sets In,” 49% of retail respondents said the purpose of their mobile strategy is to drive traffic to the store in 2014, compared to 33% in 2013.



Similar jumps occurred in the percentage of retailers saying the purpose of their mobile strategy (more than one answer allowed) is empowering employees to meet customer service expectations (37%, compared to 29%), help employees be more efficient (35%, compared to 0%), and provide a channel for post-sale, self-service support (21%, compared to 0%).



Other notable findings include:



• Most popular mobile business challenges are consumers using mobile as part of their shopping experience and retailers need to be there (56%), difficulty coordinating with other channels to create a seamless cross-channel experience (41%), and the need to respond to significant online traffic (33%).



• 61% of retail respondents have implemented mobile searching and selecting of merchandise.



• 62% of consumer respondents want to use mobile to check prices before buying.



• The primary at-home mobile shopping activities of consumers are researching product selection (60%), comparing prices, and viewing product ratings and reviews (57% each).