The retail environment is very tough today. But retailers may be dropping the ball when it comes to reaching the increasing number of shoppers on mobile.
For instance, 42 percent of consumers indicated they welcome in-store ads on their smartphones informing them of sales. But only 28 percent actually get them.
That’s according to NinthDecimal’s just released quarterly “Mobile Audience Insights Report,” which focuses on the retail industry and examines how mobile is increasingly influencing consumers’ path-to-purchase.
A key takeaway from the report is that mobile advertising drove 51 percent more store traffic for retailers than non-retail mobile campaigns.
“Retail marketers also have a significant in-store opportunity, as indicated by a compelling finding that consumers want to receive more mobile ads with discounts (61 percent) and sale item notifications (42 percent) than they are already receiving,” according to the report summary.
Some juicy tidbits from the report include:
- Retail mobile ads drove 51% more store traffic than non-retail mobile ads in 2014.
- Smartphones have replaced tablets as the leading mobile device that consumers use to research retail items, with a 110 percent growth in usage from 2013.
- Mobile engagement for retail consumers occurs earlier in the path-to-purchase than in other verticals, with 73 percent engaging with mobile ads and 81% researching items via mobile before they go on shopping trips as opposed to on-the-go.
- While in-store, 61 percent of consumers would prefer to receive mobile ads with promotions or sales information, but only 49 percent are actually being served these ads, reflecting an opportunity for advertisers to refine their in-store ad strategy.
And retailers, take heed.
“Sixty-one percent of retail consumers prefer to receive mobile ads offering discounts while in-store, but less than half receive such ads,” the report notes.