Report: Retailers get a C- regarding mobile efforts

Brands and retailers are not doing a good job in keeping up with consumer expectations regarding mobile.



That’s according to the “NewStore 2016 Mobile Retail Report,” which weighed the mobile acuity of 112 luxury, lifestyle and fashion brands. Using up to 500 data points, NewStore’s team followed each brand’s customer and store associate journey, from app to aisle. Analysis revealed an overall grade of C-minus, revealing that retailers showed mixed adoption and integration of key technologies connected to how today’s consumers want to shop.



“While consumers are living in a mobile-first world, the retail industry is stuck in the past,” said Stephan Schambach, CEO and founder of NewStore.



“Technology solutions are readily available, but many retailers are either not using them optimally or are still running on antiquated systems and processes,” he said. “The retail industry continues to buzz about mobile, but it lags in the implementation of such technologies in every aspect of the customer experience.”



When it comes to the overall mobile experience for example, only 22% of brands and retailers offered mobile shopping apps. This is despite the fact that shoppers use a mobile device in the majority of purchase decisions. Meanwhile, a mere one out of five store associates had visibility into real-time inventory through convenient mobile devices, the report said.



None of the retailers utilized beacon technology, and only 14% of brands allowed store associates to check a customer out on a mobile device, data revealed.



“The grades may seem harsh, but this report is not intended to be fear mongering,” said Michael Waldron, VP of marketing, NewStore.



“What this data doesn’t show is the momentum of the industry in the area of mobile retail,” he said. “Many industry players are still in the process of mobilizing their brands, and over the next 18 months we expect to see significant improvements in each category.”