Mobile devices are predicted to become a ubiquitous part of the shopping experience in the future – whether it's consumers making purchases online or researching products in-store – and professionals in charge of retail software need to prepare.

While retailers have been just as excited as they are lost amid the rising number of mobile consumers and applications, it's imperative that they fully understand how their customers are using them prior to engaging in development or marketing surrounding these devices.

With the future upon us, retailers will be able to use this information to create mobile applications that serve as virtual shopping companions, an article for Forbes magazine explains. These applications will be expected to provide consumers with the same level of support and service they would get from a flesh-and-blood employee or a retailer's website.

Retailers will also need to make sure that all product and price information is up-to-date to prevent customer confusion or missed revenue opportunities.

"Mobile sites should also check inventory availability so that an empty shelf doesn’t stop a sale," Forbes explains. "This includes having a rapid 'order now + free expedited shipping' option to provide a compelling reason for customers to order from them and not a third-party retailer."

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Thursday, March 15th, 2012 at 2:54 am .