Trend
Mobile shopping is an emerging trend in the retail industry. It involves the use of mobile applications by both customers and retailers to transact the business of buying and selling goods respectively.
Relevance to the Retail Industry
The use of mobile sites to carry out business transaction is relevant to retail industry in that both retailers and customers are being involved in a business transaction using the mobile sites. Therefore, this is an e-commerce transaction in which customer visit retailers mobile sites and do shop without the need to visit the retail stores physically. In most cases, the customers use mobile phone applications offered by retailers to shop (Perlman n.p).
Impact of the Trend to Retail Industry
Mobile shopping is an emerging retail trend that has played a great role in enhances efficiency for both customers and retailers. Wireless business transactions are key in reducing the cost of operations for the retailer and the cost of movement for the customers. With such services, the customers do not need to move to where the retailer is to get the goods or services. However, such transactions are conducted online, and the retailer makes the delivery. On the other hand, the retailer does not need to follow long distribution channels that are costly instead he or she deals with customers directly thus enhancing efficiency. Besides, it has made customer shopping to be very easy and simpler (Felsted n.p).
Additionally, the use of mobile shopping has enhanced competition within the retail industry. It is worth noting that retailers are using this service to enhance their competitiveness in the market. Retailers who have adopted these technologies can transact business with their customers very easily and at a lower cost. The provision of mobile applications by retailers to their customers plays a great role in promoting their competitiveness in the market. Customer preferences are in line with the changes in technology, and thus, retailers need to foster the same to survive in the market (Lonoff n.p).
Works Cited
Felsted, Andrea. “Retail enters third phase of digital evolution.” Ft.com. 18 Nov. 2015. Web http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/e4ca5a7a-70ba-11e5-9b9e- 690fdae72044.html#axzz45bPKb1XH
Lonoff, Jennifer. “9 ways mobile and social tech improves the retail shopping experience
CIO.com. 9 Jul. 2015.” Web. http://www.cio.com/article/2946057/retail/9-ways-mobile- and-social-tech-improves-the-retail-shopping-experience.html
Perlman, Darren. “Mobile Making big moves in ecommerce retailing.” Nationalpost. 19, Nov. 2014. Web. http://www.nationalpost.com/m/wp/tag/blog.html?b=business.financialpost.com/news/ret ail-marketing/e-commerce-solutions/mobile-making-big-moves-in-ecommerce- retailing&pubdate=2015-12-15&t=nonstore-retailers
