Survey: Mobile technology leads to better in-store experience

Schaumburg, Ill. -- Three in four (75%) surveyed retail associates and managers feel they provide a better in-store customer experience when equipped with the latest mobile technologies, according to Motorola Solutions’ annual Holiday Shopping Survey.



Shoppers echoed a similar sentiment, with 67% reporting greater satisfaction with stores where associates utilized the latest technologies to assist in the shopping experience. And 43% of shoppers reported that the mobile point of sale improved their shopping experience.



Retailers are still losing significant revenue due to inefficient payment approaches, out-of-stock occurrences and lack of selection, according to the survey. Thirty-three percent of shopping trips ended with shoppers leaving before satisfying their intent to purchase, costing an average of $125 per trip. Of those lost opportunities, more than 73% did not complete their purchases with the original retailer.



“Retailers continue to deploy technology to improve the shopping experience, but they need to pay closer attention to the growing expectations of the omni-channel shopper,” said Michelle Crissey, customer solutions lead, Motorola Solutions. “Rather than just give them technology and call it a positive experience, customers prefer that retailers use the technology in a meaningful way to actually give them a better experience, both in-store and for fulfillment of online and mobile orders.”



Key survey findings include:

• One-third (33%) of store visits ended with an average of $125 unspent due to missed opportunities to purchase driven by inefficient payment approaches, deal-habituated behavior, out-of-stocks and limited store associate assistance.


• The vast majority of shoppers reported that self-help technologies improved their shopping experience: 83% cited using a price checker while self-checkout payment lanes (65%) and information kiosks (59%) also were mentioned frequently.


• More than four in ten (43%) shoppers would likely use a store application on their smartphones that creates a map from a shopping list to guide them through the store on the most efficient route to complete their shopping.


• Sixty-eight percent of lost sales could have been recaptured if a retail associate was able to order the item and have it delivered to the shopper’s home. Almost 55% of shoppers would have made their purchases if an associate could find another location that had the item in stock and told them how to get there.