Technology Can Improve the Shopping Experience
Study finds consumers are embracing retail technology that promises a better store experience.
Jun 28, 2019
WASHINGTON—Consumers are embracing the use of retail technology to improve their shopping experience, according to the latest issue of the Consumer View report released this week by the National Retail Federation. According to the report, “Consumers are very interested in solutions that take the uncertainty out of shopping. … The ability to address these needs is already shaping consumers’ decisions on the brands and retailers they shop.”
The report found that 63% of consumers say retail technologies and innovations have improved their shopping experience on mobile devices, while 66% said they have done so in stores and 80% online. The report found that there are numerous opportunities for retailers to simplify shoppers’ paths to making purchases. Consumers are interested in technologies that show whether a product is in stock (55%), help them compare prices or read reviews (49%), make it easier to find a product or its location (47%) or try an item before buying it (38%).
“Technology has become part of our everyday lives, and consumers are open to adopting technologies that make shopping easier,” said NRF Vice President for Research Development and Industry Analysis Mark Mathews, in a press release. “Retailers know this and are embracing investments in technologies that improve customer service and the customer experience whether it’s online, in store or on mobile devices.”
While many of the technologies retailers are deploying are still in the early phase of consumer adoption, initial consumer attitudes toward them are positive. The report found that 89% of those who have tried in-app store navigation would try it again, along with 88% of those who have used smart dressing rooms, 86% for augmented reality, 83% virtual fit and 82% virtual reality. The report also found that 69% of those who have tried mobile payments have been satisfied, along with 67% who have bought an item online and picked it up in-store and 63% who have used self-checkout.
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