3 Stats to Prove that Beacons are the Future of Retail

An increasing number of shoppers are now using their smartphones in-store to research products, read reviews and compare deals. With their attention focused more on their smartphone, the use of beacons can help retailers blend mobile and in-store shopping to create an exceptional omni-channel experience.

Here are 3 recent stats that highlight why beacons are important in retail:

1. Over 40% of shoppers look for offers on their mobile devices while they're in store

When we shop, we always want the best deals. So it's not surprising that a large percentage of shoppers look for deals on Amazon or elsewhere while in store, as substantiated by this stat released by Millennial Media and comScore. In such a scenario, beacons can help target customers based on their location and behavior based on how much time they spend in a particular section etc.

Image source: Mannequin Madness

Another very interesting and fairly new use of beacons is by coupling them with mannequins. While mannequins help attract customers, 'smart mannequins' fitted with beacons ‘talk’ to shoppers through their smartphones and send them information like where to find an item in the store and how much it costs.

2. Only 5% of in-store shoppers have a retailer's mobile app installed on their phone

In an attempt to keep up with the mobile commerce trend, most big retailers have developed a mobile app for leading platforms. However, getting users to download this app still remains a challenge. With only 5% of shoppers having a brand's app installed, the opportunity to connect with the rest is lost.

Beacons can help retailers send alerts to a shoppers' smartphone without having to install their app. This can be done by partnering with existing apps that offer retailers an opportunity to send contextual messages. While partnering with an existing app provides an quick and easy way to reach your customers, integrating with your own app will let you customize offers to your liking.

3. By 2017, roughly half of all in-store transactions will be completed via mobile devices

When it comes to in-store shopping experience, long waiting lines are one of the things that customers dread the most. The above stat, highlighted in Motorola's research shows that retailers are eager to make their checkout process less cumbersome in the next few years. Beacons can be one way of enabling cashless checkout via smartphones, making the experience less frustrating for customers and letting them enjoy the retail therapy they need.

Half of the Top 100 U.S retailers are testing beacons this year and it's no surprise why, looking at the potential it holds. The world of beacons is beckoning retailers and these are exciting times!

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If you’re just getting started with your beacon strategy, the Beaconstac Starter Kit provides you with all the tools to run a successful pilot.