Mobile Connected Employees

Retailers are searching for new ways to improve associate and customer engagement; one promising way has arisen – mobile device empowerment. The Home Depot has recently released 125,000 “HDPhones” to in-store associates. The greatest barrier to adoption, cost, as initial purchasing of devices and continual upkeep are high. Due to this, according to a new RSR Research study, 70% of the largest retailers are driving mobile device adoption, compared to 41% overall. 67% of retailers with better than average performance indicated that mobile devices provide “high value” when used by associates for customer engagement. Within this group, 48% indicated “high value” for how mobile devices free up managers’ time and noted that it vastly improved employee communication. (View source)

First Time Purchasing Path

Move aside price and location, historically top drivers of purchases are falling to the wayside for something new. According to new research from ActiveCampaign, nearly 50% of the US consumers surveyed said trustworthiness and transparency are among their top motivators when engaging with a new brand: among millennials this figure rises to 58%. Additionally, social platforms are attracting more and more customers as 56% of consumers now say they’ve discovered new brands through a social “shop”, rising to 76% of Gen – Z. SMBs will want to start partnering with influencers as 44% of consumers would purchase from a small business on social media based on influencer recommendations, rising to 53% of Gen – Z and 65% of millennials. (View source)

The Omnichannel Experience

The presence of omnichannel shoppers has continually increased for the past several years, according to a new Symphony RetailAI study, online household penetration is now at 6.4%, up 60% from pre-pandemic levels and omnichannel households are growing at a rate of 10% YoY. Among consumers who adopt omni-channel experiences, shopping frequency and basket size increase, generating an incremental spend of 16%. 40% of customers abandon online channels after one purchase and even if they return to store, they spend nearly 3% less; increasing the need to have an exceptional customer experience from the first visit. (View source)

The Metaverse Connection

According to a new Talkdesk survey, 69% of US consumers are already visiting today’s metaverse to escape real-world worries and experience things in new ways through engaging with family/friends and enjoying leisurely activities. 49% indicated they view a fully built, unified metaverse as a fertile landscape for growing relationships and deepening connections, 34% predict the metaverse will be mainstream within the next five years but not fully formed for at least a decade. Within the metaverse, men are more likely to visit (73% vs 62%) but women are more likely to use these platforms to browse products before returning to the physical world to make purchases (25% vs 18%). 47% of all consumers who dabble in the metaverse are buying virtual items or finding inspiration for purchasing a physical product, 51% expect customer service to be even better in the metaverse. (View source)

Walmart Meets the Wilderness

Many would have never expected this, but Walmart is taking their presence to the great outdoors. In partnership with hospitality company Getaway, Walmart will open mini-retail experiences at select destinations. Each Getaway destination features a “General Store by Walmart” that will have seasonal products sourced from Walmart and curated by Getaway, including leisure activity gear, camping & entertainment equipment, and featured goods from local small businesses. All locations will be within a two-hour drive from major cities in the US – guests can reserve a variety of fully outfitted small cabins and fully pitched tents by the night. The first location will debut in August at Getaway Hill Country in Wimberly, Texas. Getaway guests who visit any Outpost within the next year will receive a complimentary trial of Walmart+ and for the next six months, guests who reserve locations at an Outpost will receive welcome kits upon check-in. (View source)

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