Can Walmart Beat In-Store Apps At Their Own Game?
While other retailers whine about purported mobile “showrooming” and devise supply-chain tactics for thwarting those in-store smartphone look-ups, Walmart
appears to be embracing the smartphone-powered shopper. As we have said oh so many times before, the best defense against mobile apps at retail is building a better user experience for your customers.
In a major update to its iOS apps, the mega-retailer has added a new in-store mode designed specifically to get customers to whip out those smartphones and make the best use of them in the aisles.
In a post at the WalmartLabs blog, the company is touting its in-store aisle locator. The Walmart app now can guide you through the cavernous environs that are the enclosed cities of Walmartlandia. Now items that shoppers have on their shopping list can be located at the local store. The feature works now at all of the Walmart locations and across most items.
In fact, the smart approach Walmart is taking here is to make the app experience a loop that keeps you involved and inside the app rather than consulting the popular third parties. A scanning tool enables you to start building a shopping list from products at home, see the pricing, and then find it in-store. As the blog posts argues, “no matter where you happen to be, only our app helps you see the estimated total of your Walmart shopping trip before ever leaving home.” The app will recognize when you are in the store itself and prompt you to enter in-store mode.
At least directionally, this is where retailers have to head. You don’t fight the in-store app effect; you compete for the customer with a superior experience. You make whatever value a user is getting from a third-party app insignificant relative to the ease of use, seamlessness and empowerment your app provides.
Recent Mobile Marketing Daily Articles
-
Oscar Meyer Offers Build-A-Grump App May 17, 7:55 a.m.
T The best and most enduring ads are likely not the ones that shock and surprise ...
-
Glass Half Full: 10% Of Americans Say They Would Tolerate Google's Geeky Gadget May 16, 9:41 a.m.
A new study from BiTE interactive of 1000 U.S. adults via an online survey found that ...
-
'Home Roaming': 20% Of Home Broadband Traffic Going To Devices May 15, 9:15 a.m.
The great untethering is well underway as we have doubled our use of broadband at home ...
-
Google Quietly Departs Feature Phone Era: Shutters SMS Search May 14, 7:49 a.m.
This is a good day to wax nostalgic about multi-tap keypads and formerly massive 2-inch flip ...
-
ESPN Mulling Data Subsidies: The Return Of The Carriage Fee? May 13, 9:09 a.m.
My guess is that the recent story in The Wall Street Journal about ESPN talking with ...
-
Report: ABC Prepping Live TV App To Show At Upfronts May 10, 8:43 a.m.
The battle for sight, sound and motion mindshare is about to leap onto devices in a ...
-
Tumbling Into Native May 9, 8:40 a.m.
When a doctor is running an hour and a half late, pretty much the entire waiting ...
-
Hello, Stranger: Only 13% Of Companies Personalize Mobile Experiences May 8, 7:34 a.m.
Some things never change, even in the purportedly ever-changing world of digital media. I have been ...
-
State Farm Wants A Few Good Neighbors To Stay In The Right Lane And Test Its Driving App May 7, 8:51 a.m.
In a novel exercise that is one part mobile app beta-test and one part clever branding, ...
-
Facebook, Pandora, Instagram, YouTube And Skype Top App Store All-Timers May 6, 8:16 a.m.
Even as the polish seems to have dulled on the Apple corporation's once blindingly shiny brand ...
Be the first to comment on "Can Walmart Beat In-Store Apps At Their Own Game?"
Leave a Comment