Shopper's habits are changing and one of the reasons for that is the improvements in technology which is rapidly changing the customer experience. More consumers have smartphones and these users are taking advantage of the many additional options this gives them while shopping both in-store and online. Including shopping lists, product reviews and price comparison with other retailers or just to send a picture to a friend for their opinion on which to buy.
The most successful retailers are those that have embraced the new technology and understand the value of in-store Wi-Fi for not just customers but also their staff. The Wi-Fi not only gives the customer a better experience but allows the retailer to gain buying and shopping data analytics from their customers through them logging into the store Wi-Fi.
With Wi-Fi, a retailer can
- Capture demographic information
- Target customers with specific promotions
- Transform browsers into buyers with specific offers
- Identify in-store positions of customers
- Check competition prices in real time
- Give a multi-channel brand experience
- Have stronger location-based offers
- Aid shoppers with navigation to products
- Improve stock management
- Improve customer relationship management
- Understand footfall and trends
Being able to bring in new customers as well as keeping existing customers by offering additional value is imperative to any retailer. Wi-Fi location analytics systems allow customers to connect through in-store Wi-Fi and create a direct channel of communication that helps the store to understand and provide what the customer wants. This could be identifying footfall or producing marketing based on the location and user analytics.
Utilising the Wi-Fi analytics and understanding how customers specifically behave while in-store gives the retailer improved store insights including
- Identifying the busiest location to enable positioning or pricing of certain products within that location
- Store layout can be changed to optimize traffic flow in high periods
- Having staff placed in certain locations dependant on customer flow and time of day
If retailers do not embrace Wi-Fi they will fail to meet their customer's expectations and will potentially lose those customers to competitors who can offer the service the customers expect.