Today, over half of consumers do their pre-shopping research using a mobile device such as their smartphone. This has dramatically increased customer demand for a retail experience that’s mobile-empowered and mobile first.
Below are three retail industry trends to watch for as we ride through 2018:
Retail Apps
While store-owned mobile applications aren’t exactly new, expect to see more brands offering their own apps and including in-store touchpoints that link to their app. This development will make it easier for stores to offer customers a look at their product information, create and update wish lists, and share their purchases with friends across social platforms.
Data Convergence
Data convergence offered some of the biggest innovations in 2017, and experts suggest that this will continue in 2018 thanks to an increase in cooperation between IoT devices and retail analytics.
One such example is Target. They’ve recently announced that Bluetooth-enabled shopping carts will connect with their shopping app to guide customers via GPS around their stores.
Employee Tablets
Retail businesses are increasingly starting to equip their employees with tablets connected to their inventory. With the use of these devices, employees can show questioning customers when out-of-stock items will be back on shelves, or even to convert this business to an in-home delivery.
These are just a few of the ways the retail customer experience is becoming more pleasant for those who want control and transparency when they shop.