From in-store innovations to ecommerce platforms, merchants are seeing exciting ways to use retail technology to improve the customer experience and engage shoppers. Mobile platforms offer a wealth of possibilities, particularly as smartphones become more integrated within the lives of most Americans. Retailers can use mobile technology both to capture online sales and draw more shoppers into their physical stores. The trick is implementing creative strategies that integrate well with the rest of the store management technology. Here are a few ideas:

1. Offer mobile coupons. Allowing shoppers to download and redeem promotions via smartphone can reduce printing costs and provide convenient options for customers, Biz Community suggested.
2. Track in-store conversion rates. According to Business 2 Community contributor Himanshu Sareen, founder and CEO of Icreon Tech, merchants can use mobile technology to track window-to-conversion rates, allowing them to better assess their displays' effectiveness.
3. Showcase brand personalities. As part of an effort to be more accessible and appealing to consumers, retailers can give their brands a more "human" face through interactive features on mobile platforms, such as video clips, suggested The Guardian.
4. Take loyalty programs to mobile. Merchants can make it easier for customers to participate in loyalty programs by integrating them with their mobile POS systems and by providing loyalty apps so customers don't even need to carry a card, Biz Community advised.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Monday, March 10th, 2014 at 7:56 am .