Both Walmart and Target recently added in-store product search features to their mobile apps that are either completely new to shoppers or represent significant upgrades over prior versions.
Both marry real-time inventory data with location-based technology to help shoppers find the exact location of products and see their availability. Many existing in-store mapping technologies only indicate the aisles in which products are located.
With Search My Store from Walmart, plugging in a keyword or product name returns a list of products with images, pricing and the precise aisle location where they can be found.
"Search my Store is a great example of how we are using core online capabilities, such as search, to address key pain points of our Walmart store shoppers," wrote Marissa Coren, mobile engineer and manager, WalmartLabs, in a blog entry. "Think of it as a personal shopping associate for your local Walmart, always with you whenever you need it."
Walmart said that within the first few weeks of a soft launch on its Android app, more than 99 percent of Walmart stores had been searched by Search my Store. "We plan to make additional improvements based on feedback from our customers," said the blog post. The feature was just added to Walmart's iPhone app.
Target partnered with Point Inside, the provider of location-based technology, to add several new in-store navigation features to its app. Following a 40-store trial earlier this year, the new features include new interactive store maps that indicate item locations with pins. Shopping lists also now provide a product's aisle location when a guest is in-store and link directly to the new, interactive maps.
On Black Friday, the app will serve up information on door-buster deals at individual Target locations. Said Alan Wizemann, VP of product for Target.com and Mobile, in a statement, "We believe the new shopping lists and maps make it easier than ever to shop Target."
An estimated 10 to 20 percent of shoppers leave stores without buying a desired item because they can't locate it. Search Engine Land also pointed out that the search feature may eventually link to coupons or other in-store advertising.
The upgrades come as many retailers are investing heavily in improving the functionality of their apps to better position them as shopping tools.
- Search My Store ushers in the end of "Where is (item) located?" as we know it - Walmart Labs
- Point Inside Powers New Mobile In-Store Features for Target - Point Inside
- Walmart Brings Product Search To The In-Store Experience - Search Engine Land
- Walmart streamlines access to in-store product information via app - Mobile Commerce Daily
- Target App Now Features In-Store Product Search And Inventory Maps - Search Engine Land
- Target's New App Steers You to the Right Aisle for Black Friday - Adweek
- Retailers introduce indoor navigation in apps - USA Today