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Connecting Mobile Devices to Consumer Electronics Purchases

By now it’s evident that the mobile revolution has progressed from simply facilitating phone calls and text messages to accessing a full spectrum of information and media on the go. Here are some eye-opening statistics regarding the prevalence of smartphones:

By now it’s evident that the mobile revolution has progressed from simply facilitating phone calls and text messages to accessing a full spectrum of information and media on the go. Here are some eye-opening statistics regarding the prevalence of smartphones:

• Mobile Internet use will surpass computer internet use in 2014, just months from now
• 85 percent of U.S. adults have a mobile phone and nearly half have a smartphone
• By 2016, three out of four U.S. mobile phone users will have a smartphone
• Most people look at their smartphone over 150 times a day
• 25 percent of U.S. internet users say they are “mobile-only” and rarely go online via computer. Globally, one billion people will soon use mobile devices as their primary internet access point.

How does this affect you as sellers and installers of high-end electronics? A recent study released by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), titled “Showrooming: Empowering Consumer Electronics Shoppers” provides keen insights into the minds of mobile shoppers. Showrooming occurs when a shopper visits a store to check out merchandise but then purchases the product online, thus depriving the store of revenue. It’s a major concern for big-box retailers who carry more general rather than specialized merchandise.

Okay, first, here’s the slightly discouraging news:
• Among in-store shoppers, 27 percent intended to showroom in the first place
• 42 percent of those who used a mobile device in-store made their purchase online

Now, here are the more encouraging findings:
• 30 percent of in-store shoppers who used their mobile device made their purchase in the store
• Those who used their mobile devices while shopping were more likely to make unplanned purchases (32 percent in-store vs. 22 percent online).
• 42 percent of shoppers who used a mobile device in-store spent more than $1,000; only 21 percent of those without mobile devices spent more than $1,000
• 65 percent of shoppers who used their mobile device in-store said it made them more likely to buy the product

So how do you work toward leveling the playing field when it comes to reversing the trend of showrooming? One answer is making sure you have a solid digital presence with a good mobile website, and an assertive online campaign encompassing site optimization and well-aimed digital marketing. Here are some findings of the study in regards to digital advertising:

• 35 percent of shoppers recalled seeing ads for consumer electronics they were shopping for. Of those respondents, about 70 percent said they had viewed digital ads.
• Half of those surveyed said that digital ads influenced them to visit an online store, while 28 percent said digital ads drove them to a bricks-and-mortar location.
• More than 75 percent of consumers did some form of online research, either on a PC or mobile device, prior to visiting a store. A good online marketing campaign can capture the attention of these prospects.
• The top three drivers for in-store purchases are: 1) Convenience, 2) Trying/seeing the product, and 3) Price
• The top three motivators for purchasing online are 1) Price, 2) Convenience, and 3) Selection/Availability

If all this sounds daunting to you, remember that you don’t have to do it alone. Find and partner with a qualified online marketing firm that is a Google Premier Small Business (SMB) Partner. They can walk you through all the steps necessary to achieve good share of voice and invigorate your online presence as the mobile revolution unfolds.

Brendan Morrissey is CEO of Netsertive.

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