New consumer research from the Apigee Institute has proven that a third of UK consumers will increase the amount they spend online, while a fifth will spend more via apps.
Retailers will need to take note of this, especially since the industry has been reported as one of the worst industries for app satisfaction. It lags far behind banks, social media and search apps, even behind workplace apps. Just over half of smartphone users say that they are happy with retail apps, compared to more than 4 in 5 who are satisfied with banking apps.
Here lie major opportunities for retailers who get their apps right, as almost two in three consumers attribute smart devices to changing the way that they shop; almost half (44%) have significantly reduced the frequency of visits to a particular store because they have started purchasing items online; and 1 in 7 (13%) have started shopping at a new store because it has a good app.
Of the participants surveyed, only 11.6% agreed that they were ‘very satisfied‘ with retail apps, compared to the 24% who were ‘very satisfied‘ with internet giant apps such as Facebook and Google and the 34% that were ‘very satisfied‘ with banking apps
Ed Davenport, a spokesperson for digital agency putitout, commented:
“We firmly believe the way humans transact has always and will always change. Retailers should be constantly looking for new and innovative ways to communicate with their customers whilst removing any barriers to sale, both on and off-line.
With NFC technology in Android and now the iPhone 6 (with Apple Pay), there is an increased customer awareness and support for mobile payment solutions. By developing a bespoke app or adding payment functionality to existing apps, it not only increases impulse purchases and AOV but retailers can collect invaluable data on customers buying behaviours for bespoke targeted marketing activity.”
CEO of putitout, Charlie Cadbury, adds:
“The issue with most retail apps is evolution. In order to stay relevant and engaging, any digital product, especially an app, has to constantly improve. Think about your favourite app, which you use regularly, and check when an update was last released. It was probably within the last eight weeks. You need to be constantly evolving your product. The answer is not a new app or an app refresh but a new approach to your app‘s evolution.”
