The Impact Of Mobility

By Bob Johns

Mobile devices are making their way into all aspects of retail, from consumers to associates and managers. This is causing a shift in everything from online marketing to workforce management.

Mobility has impacted retail like no other technology except for the Internet. The technology is rapidly being embraced by retailers, associates, and customers at a rate previously unseen in the world of retail, where new technologies are normally slow to make it to the mainstream. Even e-commerce was not as readily adopted by traditional retailers, with many entering the market late and having to play catch-up. It appears these same retailers have learned their lesson when it comes to mobile technology adoption.

E-Commerce has grown to more than 5 percent of all retail transactions, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce, and it is continuing to grow. The fastest growing segment of e-commerce is mobile commerce (m-commerce), as consumers become more comfortable making purchases on mobile devices with smartphone penetration exceeding 50 percent of the market. Mobility offers a unique market for retailers to reach customers, but it is also causing headaches when it comes to “showrooming” and customers having more data than associates.

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