Location based services have high appeal for connected shoppers

A recent survey revealed these mobile commerce features are sought after by consumers.

Zebra Technologies held a global survey revealing location based services are sought-after by consumers. The number of shoppers interested in using geolocation technologies while in-store is rising quickly.

Among the geolocation features most sought by consumers are digital shopping maps and mobile coupons.

Fifty one percent of shoppers are interested in mobile coupons sent through location based services, said the survey. These consumers want discount opportunities provided in-store by way of mobile devices. Another 49 percent said they are interested in receiving email receipts instead of or in addition to paper copies. Moreover, 45 percent said they are interested in digital shopping maps provided in-store on their phones.

The research examined global digital shopping habits including interest in location based services.

Zebra Technologies published their findings in their annual Global Shopper Study. Also reported in the study were additional mobile commerce trends. Among them was that 76 percent of shoppers enjoy the in-store shopping experience. Furthermore, 50 percent of consumers think online and mobile technology solutions improve their experiences. They feel the retail experience is enabled and enhanced with this tech.

Over half – 52 percent – of shoppers say they have showroomed. Showrooming is the practice of looking at an item in store before purchasing it online at a better price. In addition, slightly more than one third – 33 percent – of shoppers said they most enjoy the chance to shop online and pick up their purchases in-store. This indicates that many people want to shop on their devices and obtain their items at the retail store.

Among the leading barriers to mobile commerce and location based services is a lack of trust in security. Large data breaches in the news headlines have made consumers wary of online and mobile shopping. Only 5 percent of consumers say they fully trust retailers. Still, nearly 80 percent said they would share a certain amount of information with retailers, regardless of less-than-perfect trust. Also, 64 percent of consumers value companies that offer features to customize the way personal information is collected, stored and used.