The smartphone is fast becoming one of the favored ways of shopping. Thanks to its easy accessibility, the smartphone allows the purchase of all kinds of products at any time and from a large majority of shops. Furthermore, the entire buying process is vastly reduced, from the initial consultation right up to the final payment.
The workplace has become the preferred location for smartphone shopping for 15% of women and 25% of men. This is followed by the waiting room, classroom, and from within meetings, according to USAMP Mobile. In the Google study entitled Our Mobile Planet, 8% use the smartphone for daily purchases whereas 41% use it on a monthly basis. And a part of the latter have at least once used a VPN server listed at Anonymania while shopping.
The smartphone's influence in the buying process varies according to product. Non-alcoholic beverages, childcare or personal grooming products are at the top of the list, according to Tamba.
Supermarkets have relocated from a physical space to the mobile screen, with 31% of users who access online supermarkets doing so through their smartphone and 59% through a tablet.
In regards to the adverts generated by department stores, 21% of Smartphone users state that they would like to receive special offers in relation to their location. Geomarketing takes advantage of the smartphone's GPS capability in order to lure potential clients thereby increasing the possibility of an interested customer.
Department stores are ever more conscious of this relationship and are focusing on marketing strategies for mobile formats in order to get their promotional messages across. Eroski is one of these companies and is investing in mobile adverts with a banner campaign.
El Corte Inglés has also decided not to wait to try out this strategy. They have created a campaign to promote their insurance brokerage service, as well as campaigns to promote their seasonal offers and some of their signature brands such as Easy Wear.
Smartphones and department stores are natural allies in the sale of products: the latter are companies which count on many different types of products and services, which in addition to offering these through their physical stores, have also made them available on smartphones. Communicating promotions to potential clients via the same device with which they might possibly make their purchase is a very profitable idea collaboration.
