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With so much talk about mobile being a differentiating factor for brands, there is one crucial element that must exist to optimize mobile engagement: A quality customer experience.
According to a research study released by Maxymiser -- "Mobilizing the Retail Shopping Experience" – retailers can reap value and rewards by delivering a personalized, relevant, and intuitive customer experience on mobile devices.
Here are some of the major findings:
American consumers are even more demanding and impatient on mobile devices. The study found that 65% of respondents most value an easy-to-use experience and the fast loading of pages and images when visiting a retailer's mobile site.
A poor customer experience on mobile devices can be detrimental to a retailer's bottom line. Nearly 40% of respondents stated they would leave and visit a competitor's mobile site, and never return, as a result of a "poor" user experience. What’s more, 23% would return less often following a poor experience.
Mobile devices complement in-store retail shopping. There is no longer a clear delineation between in-store and mobile retail shopping, as mobile savvy consumers multi-task throughout the day. According to the study, 58% of respondents use their smartphone or tablet on the way to a retail store or while shopping in-store.
“If there's one thing we know, it's the importance and value of testing and personalizing the customer experience across all devices,” Paul Dunay, global vice president of marketing, Maxymiser, said in the study. “This research points to a clear shift in consumers' mobile behavior as well as an urgency among retailers to move mobile optimization to the top of their digital marketing priorities in 2013. Every moment they delay can result in a huge windfall not only in customer engagement and loyalty, but also in revenue."
The "Mobilizing the Retail Shopping Experience" Research Study provides retailers with a snapshot of the changing needs, behavior and preferences of mobile savvy American consumers. The study analyzed a random sample of 1,000 respondents in the United States. Each respondent defined themselves as being 18 years or older, owning at least one smartphone and tablet, as well as having an interest in retail shopping.