Four tips on how to influence mobile users to make a retail purchase

64% of American adults own a smartphone, and smartphones are becoming a research tool in the path to making purchasing decisions. With so much information at our finger tips, decisions on what store to visit or what restaurant to have dinner at are often made right before taking action. They are often based on location and what pops up on your mobile phone while searching for options.  50% of consumers who conduct a search on their smartphone visit a store within a day, and 18% of those searches result in a purchase. So, what can marketers do to reach consumers during those decision making moments?

Be there. Consumers are looking for places near them where they can find what they’re looking for and are being very literal in their searches. These searches are more common when people travel and on weekends. For example, if a group of friends are discussing a possible summer camping trip over lunch on a weekend and are in need of a tent, they will likely search ‘camping tents near me.’ This is a good example of when being there with a local Google result is key. Below we see that REI had the first two results, despite of other retailers, like Sports Authority, also being in the area. Make sure you are optimizing for local search.

Have reviews…good ones. In addition to the local results showing address and contact information, they should also show reviews. Having positive reviews pop up in results is important because 88% of consumers read and trust online reviews.

Give them a deal. Consumers want a good deal and mobile phones give them the ability to look for one right when they need it. Over 80% of shoppers said their perception of a retailer improves when they offer mobile coupons. 47% of mobile consumers want retailers to send them coupons when they are near a store. With stats like these, it’s no wonder RetailMeNot and Swirl Networks recently teamed up to send in-store promotions using new beacon technology. Nearly 20 million RetailMeNot app users will now be able to get coupon notifications for thousands of retailers when they are nearby.

Close the sale & get their info. Now that they’ve found you, read your reviews and have a coupon ready to go on their phone, you’ve got them in the door. It’s time to provide great customer service in an organized and fully stocked retail environment. Once they’re at the register making their purchase, request their information. The best ways to do so are through a loyalty program, email subscription and/or text alerts. Next time they’re ready to make a purchase, they will already have the latest updates and deals from you.