Gone are the days when shopping was something people had leave the comfort of their homes to do. As such, retailers need to offer their customers an additional incentive to get out of the house. They need to offer experiences.
In the US, Nordstrom, a chain of luxury department stores, recently announced that it would be opening a Nordstrom Local concept store in West Hollywood. What makes the store different is that it will house no merchandise but instead offer spa and tailoring services, provide access to personal stylists and will also include a bar that serves everything from beer and wine to coffee and juice.
Nordstrom opted to use their retailer spaces to offer experiences, rather than sell items that people can buy online. They’re not changing their business model; they’re just expanding their reach.
Locally, we’re seeing many retailers embracing mobile as a powerful resources to take them from regular shops selling goods or services, to places that offer customers unique and exciting experiences.
Below, we list the top five mobile trends affecting retailers:
#1 Mobile apps – Sure, apps aren’t anything new but they remain a highly important part of any retail mobile strategy. The key to ensuring that yours is the mobile app shoppers choose to download is provide a personalised “experience” that relates both to the consumer’s purchase history, spending habits and offers information about products available on the store shelf.
#2 Loyalty programmes – Mobile allows smart retailers to incorporate their loyalty programmes into their mobile strategy. If you are a regular coffee drinker, wouldn’t it be cool to get a notification when you enter the store that your favourite brand is on special? The idea behind this retail mobile strategy is to boost engagement with customers and offer them rewards for their business via mobile channels.
#3 Mobile convenience – We all know that mobile point-of-sale (POS) and payments not only reduce checkout lines for customers. But these resources also allow sales associates to work around and offer pricing and product information, recommend add-on purchases and organise the immediate ordering of out-of-stock items and have these items delivered directly to the customer’s home.
#4 Inventory management – In the back office, mobile tools make it easier to keep tabs on inventory and stock so that your store never runs out of anything and you don’t miss out on the chance to give customers what they need.
#5 Immersive experiences – When customers visit a home improvement store, they can now “experience” their home via a virtual reality headset. These experiences may seem gimmicky but they are what differentiate you from your competitor and keep customers coming back for more.
Customers rarely have their smartphones more than an arm’s reach away. Making this little tool an asset retailers can use to drive purchases, build loyalty and boost your retail mobile strategy. But supporting this mobile ecosystem means having the necessary telecoms infrastructure in place.
The right telecoms expense and lifecycle management partner has all the experience and expertise you need to turn your store into a mobile marvel. If you’re keen to learn more, simply complete the form below and we’ll get back to you.
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