Mobile is constantly changing and the way consumers view the shopping experience since today people are “wedded” to their devices and are always connected.
Josh Bernoff, SVP of Idea Development for Forrester Research, said in his session at eTail East 2014 that by 2017 companies will spend $189 billion in the back-end area of their business in order to be competitive in digital and mobile.
Bernoff said retailers will want to think about the mind of the customer, which begins with mobile devices and mobile applications.
“[Customers] are being trained that whatever the question, the answer is on the phone,” said Bernoff.
Bernoff offered a series of “truths” about the use of mobile:
- Mobile commerce is not like ecommerce
- Mobile is not a channel because it is integrated with everything else.
- Mobile is more about influencing than selling.
- Mobile levels pricing
- Mobile helps sell more to loyal customers
- Mobile helps sell big-ticket items
Bernoff said while a mobile site is great for reach, use applications for response and connectivity to customers you already have a relationship with.