This holiday season, consumers were using their mobile phones more to complete transactions. Although report totals and results may differ, mobility definitely represented a larger share of overall e-Commerce sales.
So what does this mean for retailers now that the holiday season is over?
Retailers are converging their mobile capabilities into applications, combining loyalty, commerce, rich content and offers, to create a rich, cohesive experience.
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During a keynote session on the first day of the NRF Big Show, executives from Century 21, Sephora and Sears Holdings Group, discussed how they’re integrating mobile into the customer experience.
Loyalty, according to Leslie Hand, Research Director of IDC Retail Insights, is about winning hearts, minds and share of wallet! Hand explained that there are key components to loyalty in this day and age:
- Passion
- An experience that’s differentiated and differentiating
- The right value
- Omnichannel
In 2014, retailers are going to recreate their brands and loyalty to hone in on the following: Relationship, reciprocity and relevance.
Following is a snapshot of how the retail panelists are tackling mobile and loyalty.
Andy Chu, Divisional VP and GM, Sears Holdings Company: Chu is responsible for overall mobile experiences for Sears and Kmart; ratings and reviews services and community experiences overall. The company has gone through tremendous effort to improve personalization in the online experience (personalized coupons).
Johnna Marcus, Director, Mobile & Digital Store Marketing, Sephora: A big loyalty company, Sephora has had the Beauty Insider Program for six years. The company takes a tiered approach to mobile loyalty, offering perks, exclusive content and first access to content based on how much money they spend per year. Digital also has been in the company’s DNA from the beginning: the retailer established an e-Commerce presence shortly after establishing its brick-and-mortar presence, and mobility is a linchpin to the company’s loyalty program and overall engagement initiatives.
Sandi Riffle, Director of Process Improvement and Communications, Century 21 Department Stores: Although the company has had a loyalty program for over four years, Century 21 is just starting to embark on the mobile journey. Its mobile app is currently in pilot mode, and will be going live later this month. Riffle noted that the program won’t necessarily have the theme of “she’s loyal to us,” but rather, “she’s looking out for herself” and wants to save. The retailer uses tablets to sign people up for the loyalty program in stores, which has had a “remarkable impact” on acquisition.
