Christmas to kickstart smartphone price comparison​s

A new study has shown that this Christmas period will see

significant growth in showroom activity, whereby consumers will use their smartphones to compare prices when in stores to check if they can find anything at a lower price point online.

It’s been gauged that this type of shopper research is usually conducted by male retailers in the 20-30 year age range, as shown by the results of research carried out by global loyalty group, Aimia.

With a market currently saturated with goods and new online and mobile forms of retail offering consumers ever more options, price has become key in factoring what to finally purchase.

Jed Murphy, digital director at Aimia, said: "Consumers, particularly men, are more price conscious than ever, so if price remains the driving factor, retailers need to offer 'Price +', whether that’s a free 5 year warranty, a no-quibble return policy or loyalty bonus points when the product is bought in store.

"Price + is about creating added value that shifts the focus away from price-only to a service, experience and benefits-led customer proposition that differentiates retailers and engages these consumers."