Study: Retailers still miss mark on mobile experience

Retailers’ mobile engagement initiatives are headed in the right direction, but shoppers are still dissatisfied.



According to DMI’s second annual “Mobile In-Store Experience Rankings” report, which assessed mobile experiences among 120 retailers, in-store mobility influences where 74% of the general population and 88% of “mobile reliants” shop.



Yet, out of a total of 240 possible points, the most mobile-savvy brands carried a score of 131 – only 20 points higher than last year’s top score. The average score among retailers was 49 points, proving that retailers still lack what customers expect from the mobile in-store experience, according to the study.



There are leaders — companies that understand on-the-go buying trends, and use this insight to pull ahead of their competition. The top five retailers continued to widen the gap among their competition, improving 16 points year-over-year compared to only a five-point increase by the average retailer.



These retailers may be getting their biggest hints for success from mobile reliants, the 33% of shoppers that have three or more mobile shopping applications on their devices, use their device “a lot” or “all day,” and regularly or always use their device while shopping in-store. This shopper also made a mobile purchase in the last six months.



These shoppers are not only setting the tone, their expectations are outpacing improvements in customer experience, especially as they demand apps designed specifically to support in-store shopping. These include transparency to their account, access and visibility to inventory and pricing, and the ability to find promotions and checkout easily. In fact, 80% of the general population and 91% of mobile reliants said such tools would improve the in-store shopping experience the study said.



Yet, most companies are still behind in delivering what consumers desire. “2015 saw a dramatic shift in retailers’ awareness of the potential to enhance the in-store experience for shoppers by leveraging their mobile devices,” said Jay Sunny Bajaj, DMI founder and CEO.



“This year’s survey reveals that retailers who are investing in an enhanced in-store shopping experience are heading in the right direction, but there is still a significant gap between the haves and the have-nots,” he said. “Those who provide a quality mobile experience will create the loyalty and market share so critical to retail success.”