Retailer interest for in-store marketing tech outpaces deployment

A new survey reveals that retailers want to use in-store marketing solutions, but aren’t always achieving their goals.

According to an independent research report from in-store marketing technology provider Colateral that interviewed 225 executives at multi-location retailers in the U.S. and Canada, 97% of respondents want to use technology to manage in-store marketing. However, only 14% use tools more comprehensive than email and spreadsheets.

The study, “Uncovering the Secrets of Successful In-store Marketers,” also found that 62% of respondents need to distribute localized materials to every location daily. However, 76% said that producing one round of localized materials takes a lot of time and effort.

In addition, the survey found that less than 50% of retailers have a process to ensure proper installation of marketing materials at each location, and only 29% of respondents know how much of the marketing materials they produce are used, as compared to not used.

Technology is the solution favored by the vast majority of respondents, with 97% saying they would like to use technology to connect the shop floor to corporate headquarters. However, 86% said they rely on emails, spreadsheets, and docs to manage their in-store marketing materials.

Additional findings include:

• The two most significant pain points for respondents when managing in-store promotion materials are communication between store managers and corporate (64%), and different stores needing different materials (59%).
• Eighty-five percent of respondents provide guides to store managers to implement materials, but only 48% have a process for ensuring materials are implemented correctly, and 29% know when materials are used and when they are not used.
• Almost all (95%) respondents have a process for managing and approving artwork. However, three-quarters (76%) of them say it takes a lot or an extreme amount of time and effort to produce one round of marketing materials, and more than seven in 10 (72%) respondents must distribute campaigns at least weekly.

“With physical retail still accounting for 80% of purchases, retailers must maintain control of their in-store marketing and promotions,” said Dorian Spackman, Colateral CEO. “This new research demonstrates that in-store marketing is at a point where it needs significant investment to keep up with the changing landscape.”

[Read more: Here’s what consumers want from in-store shopping]