In my class about 80% of the students use smartphones. Out of this number, 50% use their smartphones to compare prices either using apps or direct browsing. As they compare the prices, the students also read reviews about the products they intend to purchase. Apart from price comparison, the students also use the smartphones to order for goods from the stores. A considerable number also use the smartphones for services from online places such as customer.
Brick-and –mortar retailers have to harmonize their prices with the prices from the online store. Since prices are the most differentiating aspects between them and the smartphone-enhanced shopping, they can also come up with their apps from where they can sell their goods. It is very difficult to put the brick-and mortar out of business owing to the fact that there are goods and services that some customers may not buy from the online stores. At the same time, it is not everybody who owns a smartphone. A considerable number of customers do not own smartphones and, therefore, they rely on the brick-and-mortar retail shops. Darrel Rigby (2011) notes that in America, online shopping is about 9% of the total and, therefore, there is a large number that is not yet using the smartphone-enhanced shopping.
For in-store apps, apart from showing the location of the goods and complementary, they can also show
- The price of the product
- The after sales services offered
- Any discount offered
It is evident that technology is swiftly turning things around in customer relations (Shopping trends, n.d). In particular, technology shall take over the traditions face-to-face customer care. Such a move would shake any company that relies on face-to-face customer including Nordstrom. More and more customers use home delivery of products (Henrik Pearson, 2012)
The customers without smartphones may not necessarily be disadvantaged. The changes in technology are gradual. In the near future, all phones in the market would be smartphones as the tradition phones shall become obsolete. The prices of smartphones are also going down and hence, almost everyone shall be able to afford a smartphone.
References
Shopping trends. Read reviews on what to wear and shop for. Retrieved on October 8, 2014 from http://recursostic.educacion.es/secundaria/edad/3esoingles/3quincena9/impresos/shoppin g_trends.pdf
Darrel Rigby (2011). The future of shopping. Retrieved on October 8, 2014 from http://hbr.org/2011/12/the-future-of-shopping/ar/1
Henrik Pearson (2012). 6 trends that will change retailing forever. Retrieved on October 8, 2014 from http://www.scenariomagazine.com/6-trends-that-will-change-retailing-forever/
