Smartphones are changing the way we shop. With an increase
in internet-enabled phones and savvy shoppers always on the look-out for a
bargain, a new retail revolution is taking place.
‘Showrooming’ is the term used to describe the new trend of
shoppers browsing products in store and then searching for them online in order
to find a cheaper price. So worrying it is becoming for brick-and-mortar
stores, that many are having to rethink their sales strategies to discourage
people from using them just as a catalogue for Amazon (or other online
retailer).
Mobile internet data is currently tripling each year in the UK,
with a forecast of a 26-fold increase by 2015, and m-commerce growing around 30-40% a year. Electronic items are most likely to be searched in-store and
then bought online. Shoppers can still ask questions in-store and get advice
from sales assistants but then go and find it cheaper elsewhere.
In order to counteract this, retailers are having to come
with ways of encouraging shoppers to buy in-store. Some are selling items that
aren’t available online, reducing their prices, and using click & collect
to encourage in-store footfall.
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Source: McKinsey Global Institute
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QR reader apps such as RedLaser allow shoppers to scan the
barcode of a product and find out who is selling it at what price – removing
any need for the shoppers to search around for the best possible price. In
order for retailers to stay ahead here, they should have a good
mobile-optimised site, and most importantly, have well-informed and helpful
staff who are as knowledgeable about products as the information that can be
found on the website.
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