Not only are phones a popular gift during the holidays…they play a huge role in holiday shopping. That’s right everyone…to gear up for the most intense shopping month of the year get those credit cards, comfortable shoes, and mobile phones ready! According to Deloitte’s 24th Annual Holiday Survey of Retail Spending and Trends, “nearly one in five holiday shoppers will rely on digital advancements such as social media and mobile phones for help with holiday shopping this year.” So what are they using these “pocket elves” for you may ask? Everything from researching prices, getting product information, looking for discounts and coupons, reading product reviews, making a mobile purchase, to the most popular use by 55% – looking for store locations. Well that is good news for the stores that are already running in the mobile arena. USA Today’s Jayne O’Donnell highlighted the top dog mobile sites for the holiday season. Among them are Amazon, Wal-Mart, Google, RedLaser, and Dealdar. Not only do they have another outlet for marketing, they are also making holiday shopping easy and convenient for consumers. There are few things worse than dealing with tired, grumpy, frazzled, “I left it all ‘til the last minute” shoppers. Make their life easier and your profits sweeter.
And what about those lazy consumers who need to shop but can’t justify missing the game for the crazy traffic and shopping mall zoos? If you have gone mobile, you are pleasing them too. They can surf your mobile site, select the perfect present, and purchase it without leaving the comfort of their lazy-boy and hot chocolate. While they are on their phones they may even check out gift wish lists of friends and family or text pictures of things they want to their significant others. Translation→ people will be communicating about your products.
The mobile shopping market is still young and largely uninhabited by stores. Now is the time to jump in and become a favorite on the shopper’s list. Mobile sites and applications…when done right…are fast and clean, and do almost everything that regular websites do. The selling point – mobile is with the consumers wherever the go. They need directions to your store…bam, there’s the store locator. They need gift giving ideas…zing, there’s your digital shopping list. They need to purchase a gift and have it delivered tomorrow…jingle bells, you just gave them a Merry Christmas.
