Mobile Apps: Is Basic Better?

By Erin Harris, Editor-In-Chief, Cell & Gene
Follow Me On Twitter @ErinHarris_1

Mobile technology is among retail’s new normal. Just look at what Macy’s has done with beacon technology. As retailers outfit their brick-and-mortar stores to accommodate associate- and customer-facing mobile technologies (GameStop is another retailer leading the beacon charge), we’ve long stressed the importance of a thoughtful mobile strategy. And so it goes with mobile applications. For retailers on the verge of entering the mobile app arena, research indicates it’s better to deliver a simple, user-friendly app that works well and offers the information customers want than it is to offer a cumbersome app they avoid.

CFI Group’s Retail Satisfaction Barometer 2014 (RSB) study details some of the things customers look for in a retailer’s mobile app. Chief among the uses for mobile retail apps is price comparison at 47% followed by mobile coupons (45%), product reviews (41%), and product information (40%). The RSB also indicates that 55% of consumers ages 18 to 44 say they’re likely to favor a store with advanced mobile capabilities. The study drills down on what “favor” should mean to retailers and it means shopping more with that retailer in general; more buys per visit; willing to drive further to a retailer; and willing to pay slightly more.

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