Mobile Marketing Strategy Reaching Out to In-store Buyers

I am continually intrigued by the way consumers are using mobile technology. With more than half of smartphone owners in the U.S. using them to shop while inside the store, retailers would be well advised to consider their customers habits when developing a mobile marketing strategy.

These handheld devices can be used to take pictures of products being considered and to compare prices before the consumer makes a decision about whether to turn into a buyer instead of simply being a browser. These smart phones can also be used to scan QR codes for mobile coupons. With many consumers being especially budget conscious these days, I can see why they would turn to their handheld devices to help them shop.

I can see that shopper marketing is going to be an important part of a retailer's overall strategy going forward. Approximately 20 percent of smartphone users in the U.S. are using their smartphones to take pictures of items while shopping, and approximately the same number uses their mobile phone to send a text or to call a friend or family member to discuss the product while in the store. Using a smartphone to find coupons or special promotions was a function that 10 percent of users engaged in.

Retailers who want to develop effective marketing strategies will want to consider what their customers are doing with their mobile phones in-store and find ways to provide information customers need to make a buying decision using this technology.