Top Mobile Shopping Trends (And How You Can Benefit)

As the holiday season hits full-swing, retailers everywhere are preparing to close out their most lucrative quarter of the year. Twinkling lights grace shop windows, in-store displays and online advertisements announce irresistible year-end sales and marketers are firing up their engines for a barrage of seasonal campaigns.

But, before you break into the home stretch of holiday marketing, take time to consider: does your strategy reflect the way your prospects shop via mobile? It’s not enough to simply build responsive emails. To really compete, your strategy must be mobile-friendly, too.

Even if you’ve already set your campaigns in motion, there is still plenty of time for last-minute adjusting that can bring in huge returns. Here are some of the mobile shopping trends to consider:

Using Mobile In-Store

Imagine you’re walking through a department store when you see a sale on kitchen appliances. You spot a high-end coffee maker you’d like to buy for your spouse. But, before you can make it to the register-before a salesperson even spots you eyeing the item-you whip out your smartphone and enter the item name into Google.

This scenario isn’t uncommon. In fact, according to a study by Internet Retailer, 75 percent of customers use their mobile devices while in a store. Here’s what they’re doing:

• Comparing prices. You may offer a great price, but consumers want to make sure they won’t get a better deal elsewhere before they pull the trigger.
• Researching. A salesperson can tell you plenty of information about an item, but the Internet can tell you more. And customers can see what other consumers have to say.
• Making purchases. Instead of lugging the coffee maker to the register, paying, transporting it home and wrapping it up, you can order the same item (pre-wrapped!) to be delivered to their home for free-all while standing in the store.

In other words, mobile devices are doing what a great salesperson used to do. But, what about users shopping from home?

Using Mobile at Home and Work

Have you ever seen an ad for an item on TV and your first thought was, “I need to order that right now”? You’re not alone. According to Blackhawk Engagement Solutions, 58 percent of U.S. consumers shop online while watching TV. Given that most people keep their mobile device within arm’s reach, consumers can make a purchase within seconds of seeing an ad without even leaving their recliner. (How’s that for a stress-free holiday shopping experience?)

The same report found the most popular time to shop online is from 4 to 9 p.m. (local time). The second most popular time is between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m., which means many Americans are shopping at work. Sneaky.

Connecting with Mobile Shoppers

Now that we’ve discussed how and when consumers use mobile, let’s talk about how you can leverage their behavior. Here are five ways you can better interact and convert customers via mobile:

• Offer easy access to store information, such as product availability, hours and directions, on your store’s website, app and in email communications.
• Use geo-targeted ads to connect with shoppers who are nearby, or already in your store.
• Include a mix of in-store and online offers within email offers to help customers regardless of their preferred shopping style.
• Install mobile-friendly POS machines so shoppers can use Apple Pay or Google Wallet via their mobile device.
• Make use of triggered emails to reduce shopping cart abandonment and upsell additional items.

It’s no secret consumers are turning to their mobile devices for shopping more each year. While this doesn’t mean brick-and-mortar shops won’t still experience long lines this Black Friday, understanding the way people shop online can help you increase engagement and enjoy your best holiday sales yet. By following the above best practices, you can transform your mobile customers into brand loyalists. Now, let the holiday season commence!

Ready to get to know your customers even better? Try InstantData free today and get the data you need to give your holiday shoppers an unforgettable experience.