via fierceretail.com

Consumers looking for more in-store technology

by Jacqueline Renfrow

Consumers of all ages are looking to integrate more technology into their shopping experience, according to a new survey by the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC). In fact, consumers want access to more information in stores, reported the ICSC Retail Technology Survey. 

And for retailers who are innovative in this area and make the experience more efficient, they have the chance to “win at the register,” said Tom McGee, president and CEO of ICSC.  

On the top of the list, consumers are looking for more in-store technology to make shopping faster and easier. By 2020, 62% of those interviewed want access to products/sizes available in store without engaging with a salesperson. In addition, 55% want to be able to virtually view home furnishings and how accessories fit in a home before they make a purchase and another 54% want to compile a shopping list on a store app and receive a floor map to locate the products. 

Technology is already being used by most consumers in some way to enhance shopping, as 73% have bought a product online from a mobile device to be picked up in store. That number is even higher for younger demographics, as 87% of millennials and 79% of Generation X shoppers use their mobile devices to make click-and-collect purchases. 

Of those surveyed, 71% of shoppers have one or more retailer app on their phones and 74% access these apps at least once a week. Even more progressive, 37% of all consumers have used a digital assistant to build shopping lists or to place orders to later pick up items in stores and 35% have used a mobile pay option. 

As predicted, personalization remains a key focus for consumers, as 80% of shoppers choose to have apps to receive notifications about sales/promotions or special events while shopping. Building on content, 44% of respondents said they want to receive apps that make it easy to get information such as ingredients in products for allergies, dietary needs, etc. 

In fact, 43% of consumers were okay with the idea of retailers personalizing prices based on their shopping patterns. 

SOURCE