Seamless, multiscreen shopping experience will be important this holiday season
Retail software that functions across multiple devices, from the desktop to the tablet, is an increasingly important consideration for merchants. Real-time reporting on store operations is enhanced by a mobile workforce who can perform their tasks and monitor events without one job interrupting the other. Similarly, a versatile point of sale system is critical for shoppers, who will also be buying items from numerous devices. Even brick-and-mortar locations will see an uptick in mobile payments as NFC technology and other innovations become more widespread among consumers and retailers, while customers already access ecommerce from smartphones, laptops and other devices.
The diversity of ways that patrons can research and purchase items will be even more important this upcoming holiday season, with a recent Google study discovering that 80 percent of customers will shop on more than one device in November and December. The search engine giant suggested that retailers should have a multiscreen business strategy in place to meet consumers at every step of their purchase.
More consumers shopping on smartphones
The overall role of technology in retail will also increase, with Google anticipating a 21 percent year-over-year jump in the number of smartphone owners buying items through their devices. Meanwhile, 76 percent of these shoppers will browse products on their phones – 17 percent more than last year.
These numbers rise even more significantly among younger shoppers, with millennials more likely to research products and then purchase them on their smartphones. This group will also frequent storefronts earlier than other customers, with 88 percent planning to shop on Thanksgiving weekend, in comparison to only 67 percent of overall adults. However, Google noted that there is a general trend for most consumers to visit stores early this season, even though many (25 percent) won't finish buying gifts until the last day possible.
Consumers' device-focused nature is also suggested by the 100 percent increase since January in online searches for wearable devices. While the technology has yet to become commonplace, it may represent another shift in shopping come 2014.
Rather than creating a separate strategy for consumers using smartphones, tablets and desktops, merchants should implement a holistic plan that acknowledges the role of omnichannel shopping habits. The mobile customer is now the norm, and new devices will likely add to the way they research and buy products, rather than supplanting past technology altogether.
