Brands are working hard to develop mobile-friendly shopping apps and websites to cater to savvy online shoppers. However, a studies like the recent report by Swirl showing that 76% of women still prefer to shop for clothes and shoes in-store rather than online, might leave some marketers discouraged. The report claims that just one percent of women prefer to buy apparel using mobile apps. Does this mean that brands should reconsider their investments on mobile commerce?
Or does it merely mean investments on this area should be more focused?
Just because shoppers don’t use you mobile channels as a shopping outlet’ it does not mean that you can’t use these channels to engage shoppers in a number of other different ways.
Enhancing Shopper Engagement Through Mobile Applications
A brand’s mobile application can exist for a number of reasons apart from directly generating sales –
- Cataloging – H&M and Zara are a few examples of brands that have creatively built apps that make it entertaining for shoppers to browse through their products. While the mobile experience does not deliver the luxury of trying on dresses and shoes, it can provide a fun and engaged experience of browsing through a brand’s latest collection – as well as getting an idea of the price tags. This could in turn encourage shoppers to visit the store.
- Community – Apps can help create a community of brand users and advocates, allowing brand buyers to share their experience and reviews of certain products. Through more conversation and engagement, potential shoppers might be more willing to visit stores to check out that pair of shoes that everyone’s talking about.
- Inspiration – A number of apps, such as Forever 21, include sections with “recommended styles” or “inspired looks” with a collection of photos of models posing while wearing selected clothing and accessories that have been mixed and matched to look their best together. These “look books” give shoppers some ideas of how they can wear certain pieces – something which is difficult to do at the store. For the brands, this is a great way to upsell their various offerings.
Create Value – Convert Shoppers to Buyers
While shoppers may not buy directly from a mobile app, there are many ways that apps can offer them enough value to drive them to the store to make a purchase. This is parallel with Swirl’s finding that women are willing to share personal information with retailers as long as they receive value in return.
- Special offers – A recent report by eMarketer claims that 25% of US mobile app users want retailers to offer mobile apps so that they don’t lose out on the best deals and store offers. Apps are a convenient place for brands to offer special discounts, coupons, exclusive mobile offers.
- Provide information – Apps can provide lots of useful information to the shopper. The Gap mobile app, for example, provides a list of store locations and directs you to the nearest Gap store. Even more valuable perhaps is the availability of products in certain stores – the same eMarketer report shows that 30% of mobile app users in the US want to be able to use apps to see whether stores carry the items they want so they won’t have to waste a shopping trip. Information on inventory and alternatives increases the chance of a successful trip – even better, apps that allow shoppers to put items “on hold” ensures shoppers that the product is there for them.
- Enhance in-store experience – So you’ve successfully driven shoppers to the store. With items laid out in front of shoppers, does the mobile experience end there? Definitely not! The Huffington Post recently pointed out the growing trend of “in-store social” through smartphones. Apps, detecting that the shopper is now in-store, can help drive purchase by delivering personalized deals to their mobile phones – which is something that, according to Swirl, women prefer almost twice as much as being reminded of an in-store sale by a sales associate.
Four Steps to Improving Mobile Apps
Brands should definitely invest in the mobile shopping experience – but don’t start with the app!
- Brands must first define who their target consumer is and what patterns of consumption they want to create.
- Next brands should learn about who the shopper is for their brands and how they prefer to shop for the brand. Focus on the barriers or “pinch points” in the path-to-purchase. What is discouraging shoppers from buying – for example, do they lack information on the product, price, or its availability?
- Determine what is need to ‘open the path to purchase’ – what is required to remove that barrier?
- Finally decide whether an app can remove that barrier in a way that shoppers would love.
With the conclusions from these four steps in hand, investments in mobile commerce can be much more effective, driving better sales more productively. To start to unpick your path-to-purchase, talk to one of us at engage.