Retail TouchPoints: Nearly 50 percent of Consumers Believe They Are More Informed Than Store Associates
Through a special arrangement, presented here for discussion is a summary of a current article from the Retail TouchPoints website.
Shoppers found their personal mobile devices to be more efficient than store associates in helping them make buying decisions, according to a new survey from Motorola Solutions. But the buying experience improved when sales associates used new technologies as part of their customer service strategies.
The sixth annual installment of the Holiday Shopping Study from Motorola confirmed the increasing connectedness of today's consumers: Overall, 46 percent of Gen Y shoppers (ages 18 to 34) and 38 percent of Gen X shoppers (ages 35 to 49) reported feeling more in tune with inventory data accessed via mobile devices than through conversations with in-store associates while shopping during the 2012 holiday season. Only 19 percent of Boomer and fewer than 12 percent of pre-Boomer shoppers agreed.
Many retail store managers shared these sentiments: 61 percent said they believe shoppers are better connected to product information than in-store associates.
These perceptions are due in part to shoppers' seamless access to product information via smartphones. Overall, 52 percent of Gen X shoppers and 64 percent of Gen Y shoppers used their personal mobile devices to research potential purchases and access ratings/reviews, among other shopping-related activities. That compares to only 37 percent of Boomer and fewer than 15 percent of pre-Boomer shoppers.
However, retailers have an opportunity to better connect with shoppers by leveraging mobile technology in stores: 47 percent of all shoppers said they have better experiences when sales associates use cutting-edge technologies to aid in product discovery and decision-making in stores.
Other findings:
- Thirty-six percent of shoppers believed that store associates using tablets enhanced their shopping experience, and 59 percent of store associates agreed that they could better serve customers if they were equipped with tablets;
- Fifty-eight percent of retail associates recognized the positive effect of mobile point of sale on the shopping experience;
- Eighty-two percent of retail associates agreed that improving in-store communication between staff and managers would have a positive effect on shopper satisfaction;
- Sixty-three percent of store managers agree that they need more real-time information to better ensure customer satisfaction.
Using two complementary surveys, Motorola fielded input from holiday shoppers during November and December 2012. One survey targeted 1,200 U.S. shoppers, while the other was tailored to in-store associates, staff and in-store managers.