The future of global retail is all about digital and mobile. An infographic from ExactTarget (shown at the end of this article) provides a number of useful statistics to support that claim and proves that an integrated marketing strategy is more important than ever these days.
According to the data, one out of four social media users use their social networks to make buying decisions. More than one out of five consumers conduct a search using a mobile device to do research before they make a decision to purchase a product or service. Furthermore, three out of five would delay making a purchase based on information they found during a mobile search.
Interestingly, 73% of mobile searches are happening when consumers are at home, but a significant number (42%) are actually happening while consumer are in stores actively making purchase decisions. Translation: This (when consumers are physically in stores making purchase decisions) is a critical time for brands to be in front of consumers on their mobile devices with the right messages and information.
Some more compelling statistics that support the digital migration of global retail provided in the infographic include:
- 18% of consumers say their purchase decisions have been influenced by an online ad during the past year.
- 90% of consumers report that they trust online recommendations for products.
- Yearly ecommerce sales grew to over $1 trillion in 2012.
- 44% of mobile consumers use mobile devices to check prices while they’re in a store.
- The annual increase in mobile purchase research in 2012 was 47%.
- 34% of mobile purchase searches are conducted by consumers looking for price comparisons.
- 27% of mobile purchase searches are conducted by consumers looking for a specific retail store’s website.
- 23% of mobile purchase searches are conducted by consumers looking for a coupon or discount promotion.
The full infographic is shown below.
There has never been a time in the history of marketing where one element of a marketing campaign and overall strategy can so seamlessly lead to the next. Brand marketers need to capitalize on this perpetual marketing opportunity to build momentum that leads to long-term, organic, sustainable growth. Silo marketing is dead.
What do you think? Leave a comment below and share your thoughts about the future of global retail, mobile marketing, and digital marketing.
Image: CLUC
Susan Gunelius is the author of 10 marketing, social media, branding, copywriting, and technology books, and she is President & CEO of KeySplash Creative, Inc., a marketing communications company. She also owns Women on Business, an award-wining blog for business women. She is a featured columnist for Entrepreneur.com and Forbes.com, and her marketing-related articles have appeared on websites such as MSNBC.com, BusinessWeek.com, TodayShow.com, and more.
She has over 20 years of experience in the marketing field having spent the first decade of her career directing marketing programs for some of the largest companies in the world, including divisions of AT&T and HSBC. Today, her clients include large and small companies around the world and household brands like Citigroup, Cox Communications, Intuit, and more. Susan is frequently interviewed about marketing and branding by television, radio, print, and online media organizations, and she speaks about these topics at events around the world. You can connect with her on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or Google+.
