Snap Poll: 76 Percent of In Store Shoppers Change Their Minds After Consulting Their Phones

An unscientific poll of a few dozen shoppers revealed that many consult their phones before they buy something.

Customers Use Phones While Shopping

The poll — commissioned by Edgenet — was taken of 60 big-box store shoppers in Nashville between May 22 and June 5. The results showed:

• 61 percent used their smart phones to learn more about a product and compare prices,
• 76 percent bought something different than they originally wanted, and
• 76 percent wanted more info to help them make a final decision

If you’re a small retailer there are some important takeaways here.

It’s Time for a Mobile Store

Having a mobile-ready website puts your store right there with your competitors (even big box stores).

Recent data shows that 30 percent of shoppers will abandon a “trip” to your online store if it’s not optimized for mobile.

Showcase All of Your Products

A study earlier this year revealed your site needs to be attractive and user-friendly. An ugly site could drive away almost half of your customers.

Part of building a good online store is packing it with as much information as possible. Include detailed product information. Crisp well-lit photos from every angle are important. Include plenty of product details, too.

And, of course, you’ll want to have competitive prices. If shoppers see your price and then a better price from a competitor, they may be inclined to shop elsewhere.

You still have to remain competitive. Remember the site customers go to while at a big box store in search of better deals could be yours.

Well Trained Staff

Why are shoppers looking at their phones in the first place? Probably because they’re being left alone. This is where attentive and well-informed employees become indispensable.  While you’re loading up that mobile site with product info, make sure your employees are sharing information with customers on products in the store too.

Rather than a phone, your customers could have their questions answered by a person.

Shopping with Phone Photo via Shutterstock

This article, "Snap Poll: 76 Percent of In Store Shoppers Change Their Minds After Consulting Their Phones" was first published on Small Business Trends