Tag: mobile commerce

Recent research shows that this generation uses their devices even when in real world shops.

According to the results of a new study, 84 percent of millennials are using in-store mobile commerce. This means that despite the fact that they’re shopping in a bricks and mortar store, they’re also using their smartphones. That statistic only underscores the importance of retail mobile features.

The “mobile generation” is heavily influenced by the use of their smartphones while in store.

That said, even though many millennials are shopping using in-store mobile commerce, retailers shouldn’t feel threatened. This, according to Alliance Data, the firm behind the study. Alliance Data says this is an opportunity for retailers to benefit. If merchants embrace the use of mobile shopping by customers while they are in-store, they may be able to better guide the experience. This could provide them with a significant advantage.

The majority of millennials use in-store mobile commerce to find cheaper or easier ways of buying.

Knowing this can mean that retailers may be able to use the mobile shopping experience to prove they’re the best option. The survey data showed that one in three (34 percent) of millennials use their mobile devices to check product information. More than one in five (22 percent) use their smartphones to talk to friends about a product or service they’re considering.

“Retailers need to embrace mobile as part of the path to purchase,” said Alliance Data senior analyst of strategic insights group, Tom Colven. When a shopper is using a smartphone for shopping purposes while in-store, it is likely that they are trying to determine whether the store’s price for a certain product is a good one and what their peers think of the purchase. “Any brick-and-mortar retailers that do not embrace mobile at this point and latch on to key moments…risk being left behind by competitors,” said Colven.

The role played by smartphones doesn’t stop with in-store mobile commerce. After a purchases is made, the influence expands. The research showed 16 percent share that they have made the purchase over social media. Shopping experience details and unboxing information is also commonly shared.

The luxury department store reported considerable sales increases in this year’s second quarter.

Nordstrom mobile commerce gets the credit for powerful online sales growth for the luxury department store. The company has released its 2016 Q2 earnings report. The report showed strong mobile engagement.

This powerful growth over mobile commerce occurred despite an overall decline in total sales in all channels.

Nordstrom mobile commerce is now outpacing shopping over laptop and desktop computers. In fact, the retailer has credited m-commerce for much of its current online successes. Shoppers using smartphones and tablets played an important role in the quarter’s e-commerce results.

This shift toward mobile shopping did not occur by accident. Nordstrom has been making considerable investments into mobile tools. The company wants customers to be engaged over their mobile devices.

Nordstrom mobile commerce was a high priority in Q2 2016 as the company focused heavily on its app.

The Nordstrom report revealed considerable insight into the company’s performance during the second quarter. It also underscored the power of mobile shopping as the company placed a focus on its smartphone app.

Among the insight provided in the report was the following:

• Nordstrom saw a year over year decline in total sales. They reached $3.5 billion, which was a drop of 1.2 percent over the same quarter in 2015.
• Total online sales for the company increased by 9.4 percent, year over year. In the second quarter of this year, they reached $683 million.
• Total off-price retail site sales and flash-sale site (HauteLook) sales exploded by almost 35 percent. This was a massive growth over the same quarter in 2015 as it reached $157 million.

The added investment into the Nordstrom mobile commerce app drove performance significantly. The company worked hard to ensure the mobile app would be highly engaging. Among the top features was one that allowed customers shop from specific store locations as well as a visual search function. Co-president and director of the company, Erik B. Nordstrom, explained that this effort was precisely what propelled m-commerce forward and beyond desktop during that quarter. It also explains why the retailer will continue to move in that direction.