Shoppers use smartphones in-store, but avoid retailer's own apps

Shoppers actively use their smartphones in-store, but new research shows they avoid retailers' own in-store apps. According to InMarket, the world's largest beacon proximity and location intelligence company, the behaviour they tracked shows users avoid retailer apps and spend their ‘mobile moments’ comparing prices or asking friends and family for advice.

Mobile moments are thus defined as the moments in which a person uses a mobile device to find what he or she wants, immediately and in context to their activity.

Smartphones are integral to shopping experiences

Another study recently found that a large majority (83 percent) of consumers say their smart device is central to their shopping experience. According to Euclid Analytics, research shows 67 percent of consumers shop in stores because they like to see and touch products.

The InMarket study examined a sample of 2,500 shoppers and identified three prevailing use-cases of mobile in-store: shopping activities (55 percent); messaging unrelated to shopping (14 percent); and listening to music (12 percent). Shoppers were three times more likely to use their phones for a purchase-related task, versus other tasks, which is good news for stores. Only 8 percent of shoppers were found to be using the retailer's own in-store app.

Shopping activities were defined as using a shopping list, reviews, recipes or price comparison app, or communicating about what to purchase. Among shoppers who were using mobile to help their purchase decision, 28 percent were actively looking at their shopping list on their phone, while 14 percent were texting or calling someone about what to buy.

Another study that involved a team of secret shoppers making purchases in stores found that most (78 percent) of retail brands did not offer shoppable mobile apps. That study, Mobile Retail Report by NewStore, focused on 112 leading retail brands in stores in Boston and New York, including Gucci, Nautica, Polo, Dior, Vans, Swatch, Bally and Chanel.

That study found that 64 percent of brands use in-app push notifications for promotions and other content. If that content is pushed without the use of location technology, such as beacons, the messages could be totally out of context and wasted messaging, according to MediaPost.

The good news is that customers are focused on their shopping activities when in store and can thus be reached via the appropriate channel and messages.

Photo credit:InMarket